Pinky Promises
by CiaraShayee
Summary: When two little girls were allowed to walk home from school one bright spring day nobody could've predicted the events that followed. The way two families were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man. Twelve years on, we'll watch as two girls stolen away from their homes at eight years old fight to take back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. M for violence.
1. Prologue

**Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Prologue**

 _ **Eastbourne Police Station – March 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **2004**_

Hushed murmurs filled the space decked out in policeman-blue. The large symbol of the Sussex police stood front and center. A nondescript table sat in front, a cluster of microphones having been set up there earlier in the day in preparation. The extensive gathering of journalists had been squeezed into the biggest room available, the first row of seats scant feet from the table. The air crackled with tension and curiosity, sadness prevailing when an audible sob came from behind the door off to one side – the first sob of many.

A policeman of considerable standing stepped through the door. He was followed by three distraught men, two middle-aged while the third was young. A teenager. Cameras clicked feverishly as the quartet took their seats, the officer to the left while the others sat in a row beside each other in a silent show of support.

The man beside the officer, Charlie Swan, had one hand clenched on his thigh, the other reaching up every few seconds to tug on his short crop of strawberry-blond curls. Blue-green eyes filled with anguish and heartache were identical in emotion to the dark brown gaze of his sixteen-year-old son, Archie, and the grass-green of his childhood best friend, Peter Hale.

As someone stepped forward to briefly speak with the journalists snapping away, the three men shared a resolute glance, saying everything words couldn't.

We'll stick together.

It'll be ok.

We're on your side.

Ignore the cameras, get this done.

We _will_ find them.

Then, it was time.

All over the country, and others surrounding England, people watched with abject horror as first Charlie, then Peter, pleaded for information. As they cried tears telling of pain and heartbreak as they tried to convey just how much they longed for the crucial details upon which the case was hinged. Parents hugged their children close, unable to comprehend how Charlie and Peter must have been feeling as they stared into the lenses of cameras and begged for the return of their much-loved girls. The audience of millions tuning in to watch the conference silenced in unison as Archie Swan coughed, fixing rich, dark, agonized eyes on the cameras. His eyes spoke of more misery than imaginable. They were orbs of sorrow, capable of turning hardened men into mush. Then, he spoke.

"If you can hear me…I miss you, Scarlett, Rosie." Only the sound of cameras clicking followed his statement. "Your cookies are still on the coffee table waiting for you," he choked out on a rasped breath, feeling as though his throat was closing. "I didn't touch them, just like I promised. Rosie, your hamster chewed my controller again. You're gonna pay for that when you get back."

Archie reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a photo, holding it up after giving it a brief glance. An officer slid it into place on a projector, casting it on the wall behind the four men at the table. Three toothy grins shone brightly, bringing the stonier people in the room to tears if they hadn't already been shedding them.

"Get your butts back here, squirts."

Everyone waited with baited breath as he sucked in air through his teeth, twin tears tumbling down his cheeks in synchronization as he gritted out, "you pinky promised it would be us three together forever. The three musketeers, you said. You told me—" Archie's stomach lurched, his words unable to pass his lips. Charlie reached for his hand, squeezing it hard. "I'm ok, I'm ok. You pinky promised, and you told me you can't break pinky promises."

His fierce statement was punctuated with a painful sob.

Once a few more people had spoken, the constable pulled the conference to a close, the men escorted away from the flashing cameras and calls of the journalists. When the final man was ushered from the room some minutes later, he paused. Somber eyes so dark they were almost black flashed with long-buried sorrow, giving way to determination. He took one last glance at the 'MISSING' poster on the wall near his head before leaving, memorizing the faces of the eight year old girls cruelly stolen away from their families.

Little did he know, did anybody know, that the story of Isabella Scarlett Swan and Rosalie Daisy Hale's disappearance would go unsolved until well into the next decade.

* * *

 **Questions? That's ok, drop me a review or a pm and I'll answer what I can :) Thank you for jumping on this crazy train with me.  
This is completely finished, chapter-wise, but I'll be making a few edits as I go along, so I hope to post at least once a week, maybe twice if I can.**


	2. Chapter One

**~ oOo ~**

Sorry, I won't take up much of your time up here, but just wanted  
to say thank you to those of you who have reviewed or added this  
story to your alerts already. The chapters will all be roughly this  
length for anybody wondering! Anyways…enjoy

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter One**

It's odd, where a person's mind can wander when they're trying not to think about what is happening to them. When they're trying to ignore the bite of leather against their skin, the sting of a calloused palm on their leg. Over and over and over, a mind can switch off to the pain while remembering the happiness of a previous life. Of a life left behind.

Well, not left behind. Stolen.

 **~ oOo ~**

Two pale limbs stretched out from beneath a thin cover, a strawberry-blonde head peeking out seconds later. Scarlett leisurely blinked, long lashes sweeping drawn cheeks. She'd been awake already when the booming voice began its yelling through the locked and barricaded door. With a soft, silent sigh she rolled her head on the pillow to face her still-sleeping companion.

Reluctance swirled through her like a cloud of mist, because Rosalie looked so peaceful and calm, eyes closed and face relaxed in blissful ignorance. As soon as she wakes it would crumble to make way for the tears, just the same as every other day. It was the reason she hadn't already woken her, instead lying in bed for the hour she'd been awake, cocooned beneath the falsely reassuring cave made with their blankets. It had hurt to lay so still, the welts in her back fresh, but she hadn't wanted to disturb Rosalie's sleep.

" _Move it! I can hear your lazy asses are still in bed!"_

This time Scarlett jumped in fright, accidentally startling Rosalie. The latter let out a yelp and shot upright. With her hands clutching the pale green quilt to her chest, eyes flying around the room in momentary confusion, tears burst into her large blue eyes before tumbling down her cheeks as she fell into the waiting arms. The girls knew this routine like the back of their hands.

"Good dreams, right?" Scarlett whispered softly into Rosalie's auburn-blonde hair.

"We were…" Rosalie breathed a drawn-out sigh. "We were back _there_."

The reminder made them shudder. Memories of happier days and sunny smiles brought them more sorrow than joy. But it was better that way.

"It's all right, Ro, you're ok."

Five long minutes later they untangled their arms and legs, sitting up to face each other. Scarlett fixed sea-blue-green eyes on Rosalie's teary blue, clasping her bare shoulders gently, the red straps of the camisole she was wearing having slipped down to hang against her upper-arms. "You're with me and you're ok. We're gonna go downstairs and get breakfast served, then do our chores so we can come back up here and be done with people. You hear me, Ro?"

Rosalie's heart gradually slowed to a normal rate, the tears abating and her breathing regulating. "You're the best, you know that?"

Scarlett's slight grin pulled a watery one from Rosalie, too, and that was when they knew they were as ready as they'd ever be to get up and get sorted for the exhausting day ahead. Rosalie unfolded her slim frame from the double bed, tugging on a thick gray sports hoodie to ward off the Montana chill as she headed for the small bathroom attached to their bedroom.

Meanwhile, Scarlett huffed a long breath and pulled herself together. It wasn't just Rosalie requiring her reassurance each morning.

"Well hello there, little one," she cooed, lifting the edge of the blankets up to peer beneath them.

A pair of wide, large blue-green eyes just like her own peered back at her, set in a small, heart-shaped face she knew from once upon a time.

Scarlett smiled, beckoning for the child to crawl up to her chest. Only once the little girl was nestled into her did she speak again. "Did you sleep well?"

Her only response was a slight nod against the curve of her neck, and a gentle sigh.

"Ok, well let's go potty, then see about some breakfast."

Rosalie was just finishing up when Scarlett stepped into the bathroom with the girl on her hip, their faces tipped towards one another.

"Morning, Marley moo. Did you sleep good?"

Marley nodded, lips curling up in a still-sleepy smile. Rosalie pressed a kiss to her mane of chocolate curls, passing the hair brush from her hand to Scarlett's so that she could comb out the knots in Marley's hair. Scarlett set it down on the back of the toilet, first taking time to allow Marley to go potty before using the toilet herself, then setting about washing both of their faces and hands. Marley had woken up somewhat by the time Scarlett got around to taming her curls, and was contentedly toying with the ears of her beloved Mister Eddie – a stuffed bunny who had definitely seen better days.

"So, babygirl, braids or bunches?"

Marley turned, cocking her head not unlike a confused puppy. Scarlett smiled, tickling the soft pink shell of Marley's ear.

"Bunches it is."

Happy with the decision, Marley resumed her twisting of Mister Eddie's ears, sitting perfectly still while Scarlett unsnarled her hair before restraining it in two long bunches, one either side of her head, with a pair of hair ties – one white, one yellow. Once the girl's hair was taken care of Scarlett brushed the tangles from her own, almost waist-length, hair. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. It reminded her of better days as the brush tugged through her soft tresses. She tried not to cry at the thought of the person who used to do this for her. Every morning and every night before bed. It was their routine, one they both cherished.

As Rosalie called through that it was time to head downstairs, Scarlett was reminded that it wasn't their routine anymore.

Just hers.

The pair trooped silently down the stairs, arms looped together between their bodies, Marley clinging to Scarlett's body like a limpet, her face buried in her neck once more. Scarlett's eyes swept the area as they moved, while Rosalie's stayed firmly trained on the dark wooden floor underfoot. When they reached the kitchen Scarlett and Rosalie released simultaneous sighs. They were alone.

"All right. Coffee. Sit."

Rosalie sat at the counter on a worn stool, getting to work weighing out ingredients while Scarlett busied herself making a fresh batch of coffee, pouring away the little left in the pot in lieu of making their own. No way would she risk drinking it.

"What time is it?"

"Er, we have about half-hour 'til the guys start getting down here."

By then, just after five am, they knew it wouldn't be long before a team of grumpy, sleepy men began arriving for their hot breakfast to energize themselves in preparation for a tiring day of work in the thick snow. Scarlett continued talking to Rosalie and Marley – only the former offering any verbal answers – while she worked. She encouraged Rosalie to keep her head in the present, not wandering in the past as it so often did. It was safer not to think of their past. At least not yet.

The girls worked in tandem, talking in hushed tones until Rosalie ran upstairs to fetch jackets for them to wear over their thin tops. Once the fire had been stoked the jackets wouldn't be necessary, but until then the extra layer was needed to keep out the cold let in by the draughty old house.

It was just after six and Marley had just had her first coaxed sips of milk when the first men took their seats at the tables in the dining area. During the winter months there were considerably less mouths to feed, so Scarlett and Rosalie weren't too worried they were a few minutes behind. They got to say their 'good morning's and hand out steaming cups of coffee at a leisurely pace. As usual, Scarlett did the majority of the serving while Rosalie hung back in the kitchen with Marley, whose grumpiness had begun to wane as she gradually woke up. Scarlett's habit of taking over the serving was just something she'd always done. It was all-but second nature to her, at this point.

"Thankin' you kindly, Miss." One of the stable hands grinned and tipped his hat at Scarlett as she poured his third cup of coffee in ten minutes. "You sure make a mighty fine coffee, Scarlett."

Her lips twitched upwards just a touch with her reply. "I have a lot of practice, Emmett. You lot go through coffee as quickly as we can make it."

There were chuckles all-round in reply despite the early hour. She knew for sure then that the master of the house had left. Nobody laughed when he was in residence.

A few minutes later, a quick glance at the clock reminded Scarlett that, if the men didn't get a move on, they'd be running late all day. Experience told her there'd be hell to pay if the schedule went out the window, even if it wasn't the men responsible who would take the punishment. With a wince, the blonde gently ushered the men away from their tables and empty plates, shooing them towards the door where piles of worn work boots, jackets, and scarves were heaped.

"Get going, then. It'll take a while for you to sort through that lot anyway."

Emmett rolled his gray-blue eyes with a wry grin and stood, gulping back his scalding hot coffee with barely a grimace. The familiarity made Scarlett smile.

"Yes, Ma'am. I suppose we'll be seeing you for lunch, then."

Once assured that she, Rosalie, and Marley – a firm favorite in the men's books – would be joining them for lunch, Emmett smiled wide. He always seemed pleased when the girls joined him and his fellow ranch hands, be it for mealtimes or outside in the barn. They occasionally ventured outside to join him in the barn if they'd been told to, and it always warmed Scarlett to see the ease with which the men interacted.

So uninhibited.

So opposite to how she and Rosalie acted.

So not important, Scarlett reminded herself, collecting the last of the dirtied plates to begin the clean up.

 **~ oOo ~**

Later, Rosalie and Scarlett wrapped a large, fluffy blanket around their shoulders and sat near the fireplace upstairs, gazing out at the falling snow. Marley had created a nest of blankets and cushions, content to nap near to the older girls with the tip of her bunny's ear between her rosebud lips. With every puff of breath an escaped chocolate curl lifted before floating back to rest over her fire-warmed cheek.

Surrounded by six-feet high bookshelves made of the same wood as the walls, fire crackling and mugs of coffee warming their hands, Scarlett and Rosalie were the most relaxed they'd been all day. Lunchtime drew nearer, but with the food already prepared they had some time to take a break. After lunch they would be joining some of the men outside in the barn for a couple of hours. It kept them going, knowing they wouldn't be cooped up in the house all day.

One o'clock came and went. A fresh blanket of snow rested against the already thick cover, wind rattling the windows and seeping through the gaps to make the flames in front of the girls dance a sinister routine. Neither of them had an appetite, so instead of joining the men down below they sat in silence, ignoring the noise from the floor below and soaking up each other's freely offered comfort instead.

Rosalie broke the silence first.

Setting her empty mug down on the floor, she reached up to run gloved fingers through her reddish blonde hair. Scarlett's ever-watchful eyes caught the movement.

"D'you want me to braid it for you?" She whispered.

Rosalie barely hesitated for a second before nodding. She turned slightly so her hair would be easier for Scarlett to reach, baby-blue eyes sliding shut as Scarlett deftly split and twined together sections of her wavy hair in a neat French braid. The actions were soothing for the both of them. Something familiar.

The first time Scarlett braided Rosalie's hair was when they were six. When they were happy. Safe.

Rosalie couldn't return the favor because she got muddled, but she'd always enjoyed repaying Scarlett with other things. An extra bun here or there when they had the ingredients for baking, or an extra sandwich if they had enough that it wouldn't be noticed.

"Do you want to muck out or groom today?" Scarlett asked softly a moment later.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "You always ask and I always say the same. You groom. I know you prefer it."

"But then you have to muck out. Are you sure you don't mind?"

They both know the only thing Scarlett finds any enjoyment in on the ranch is spending time grooming the horses, however fleeting or limited that time may be. What Scarlett didn't know was that Rosalie was all-too-ware of the sacrifices she made for her – or most of them, anyway – and thus took every opportunity she could to make her life easier in return. She saw the way Scarlett watched out for her constantly as well as Marley, the way she took any punishments coming their way without complaint. If she could give Scarlett this one thing, grooming the horses, she'd do it every day without a second thought.

"I swear I don't mind," she promised, leaning back onto Scarlett's bent knees as she tied the bands from her wrist around the end of the finished braid.

The slam of the front door bouncing in its hinges had the same effect as a bucket of ice water thrown over the girls. Marley flew up from her nest, eyes wide and filling with tears as she scampered across the floor into Scarlett's lap.

Only one person would be using the front door at this time, while the men were out working. Simultaneously Scarlett's body tensed fiercely before forcibly relaxing. Noisy, ominous footsteps could be heard moving across the bottom floor of the ranch house. From the entrance, to the smaller living area, then to the kitchen. The girls sat in deathly silence. Marley trembled against Scarlett's chest, clinging tighter.

"Scarlett!"

" _Oh hell…_ " Rosalie breathed. The anger in the masculine yell was plain to hear.

Scarlett's heart thundered as she slowly rose, first to her knees, then her feet. Marley's fingers gripped her painfully. The soft blanket they'd been wrapped in moments before fell from her shoulders. It pooled in a red mess on the floor.

"I'll be back soon, ok? Go to our room and get our things ready for the stables."

Both girls' stomachs churned as they stared at each other. The outcome was inevitable. Deep down, they both knew it.

Tears burned Rosalie's eyes when Scarlett inhaled sharply, prying Marley's grip from her and whispering reassurances into her ear as she moved her to Rosalie's waiting embrace. Scarlett took a step backwards before forcing a tiny, meant-to-be reassuring smile and walking stiffly down the stairs like a woman walking to her execution. Just after a door slammed on the other side of the house, she called back for Rosalie to hurry.

A couple of minutes later, Rosalie curled around Marley in their bed upstairs beneath the cover, her face hot with fear, embarrassment, and hurt. Her knuckles turned white with the force she was using to grip the cover. Though neither girl ever mentioned it, Rosalie knew what happened when Scarlett was called to the study.

Especially in _that_ tone of voice.

She'd seen the limp Scarlett sometimes tried to hide. She'd seen the bruises.

With the first hint of a raised voice Rosalie buried Marley's face in her chest and begun frantically singing a song she'd always remember. The fact that she hadn't heard it in over a decade meant nothing.

The words to this particular song would be engrained on her heart for as long as she lived.

And so she sang it. Over and over. And over. Until Marley had cried herself to sleep, and her own tears had saturated the pillow beneath her face.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Calm down, boy. It's just me." With a slow, measured hand Scarlett smoothed the dark gelding's forelock, gazing into his solemn, chocolate brown eyes. "C'mon Bear, help me out, here."

He'd been skittish and nervous all morning, pawing at his stall door until Scarlett let herself in, yet he'd refused to let her brush him, which usually calmed the big brute. Every time she moved from her position at his head he spun, grumpily hitting her with his muzzle.

"What's wrong, huh?"

"Talkin' to that horse again?"

Rosalie heard Emmett's good-natured ribbing from the opposite end of the barn. Deciding to take a break from sweeping the feed room, she rested her broom against the nearest wall, reaching Bear's stall just as Scarlett tossed a week glare over her shoulder at the jovial stable hand leaning on the door. Rosalie's eyes danced away from his when he glanced down at her beside him.

"All right, Missy?"

The pair talked quietly for the next few minutes. Scarlett's perceptive eyes missed nothing. She caught the way Rosalie's cheeks flushed slightly at his attention, her tone soft but certain. It made Scarlett smile to see her calm.

Bear's mood eventually evened out enough for her to get him groomed, moving onto Rosalie's favorite Frisian mare, Pamplinas. The flighty mare always managed to amuse anybody who entered her stall. She'd been dubbed 'Pam' on account of her long Spanish name, loosely translated to mean 'moonshine', being a mouthful. The ranch hands often laughed at her ornery nature.

"What's for dinner tonight then, ladies?" Scarlett turned her head to look at Emmett, leaning against the open door next to Rosalie. They'd followed from Bear's stall to Pam's. As had Marley. She was sitting, silent as always, on the cobbled stone floor a couple of meters away from Emmett and Rosalie's feet. Her ears perked up at the mention of dinner.

"Lasagna sound good to you?"

The look on the man's face made both girls smile.

They could have predicted his reaction and the rest of the men would doubtlessly be the same. Their hearty appetites could always be counted upon. There was no such thing as wasted food or leftovers on the ranch, especially not during the winter when the temperature was so low. They all appreciated the hard work going into the meals as much as the heat the provided in their growling stomachs at the end of the day.

"Lasagna sounds _great_ , Scarlett." He tipped his hat-clad head towards Rosalie, grinning impishly, "and I s'pose you did your tomato and chili sauce?"

At her hesitant nod Emmett refrained from reaching out to ruffle her hair like he wanted to. Something told him the gesture wouldn't be welcomed despite the rare half-smile she wore at the time. "Perfect."

A few minutes passed by, horses shuffling in their stalls, making sounds of greeting as the trio continued with their chores. Marley made the occasional rounds to give each of them nose-pats before climbing onto a bale of hay near Scarlett to watch her work. The majority of the other ranch hands were out in the snow, just a small group in the barn until the girls had to return to the house to prepare the sides to go with the lasagna they'd promised.

Emmett watched the girls hurry up the freshly shoveled path to the ranch house, waving. Scarlett's arms were wound tight around Marley at her chest, Rosalie clinging to Scarlett's coat to help keep them both upright. Emmett smiled to himself when they stepped inside safely, shaking his head as he turned to climb up to the hayloft. With them snug in their home, the boss back early from his trip, Emmett could relax, sure in the knowledge that no harm would come to the girls.

How wrong he was.

 **~ oOo ~**

Around the dinner table hours later, Rosalie's stomach churned, unable to appreciate the food she and Scarlett slaved over. For the twenty-second time her eyes flicked upwards to Scarlett's face, the blossoming bruise on her right cheek making her wince. Rosalie knew it was her fault that they'd gotten back to the house late earlier. Only by a couple of minutes, but…long enough to stoke the boss' ire. Now she had to watch as Scarlett chewed as slowly as possible. Pain filled her eyes with every movement of her jaw, no matter how small.

Eventually, the girls had attracted more attention than the boss could handle.

"Girls, get started on the cleaning if you're done," he barked from the head of the table, hazel eyes flashing with annoyance. Heavy with a warning the girls weren't willing to ignore.

The pair stood immediately, hustling into the kitchen where tears sprung to Rosalie's eyes.

"Are you ok? Do you want me to—"

"It's fine, Ro. Calm down." She cast a pointed look at Marley, clinging to her leg with wide, Bambi eyes.

Scarlett ignored the half-full plates they'd carried out with them to grab an icepack from the freezer. They were normally used for the ranch hands' pulled muscles, but one would do just fine for her bruised cheek. She caught the worried, tearful gaze Rosalie was throwing her way and forced a tiny smile to try and ease it, internally crying out at the agony the gesture evoked.

It had been a bad day. The boss was particularly angry for some reason, taking it all out on her. It wasn't an unusual way for him to manage his anger, but it had been some time since she'd had to take two punishments in such quick succession, leaving her feeling on edge, tired, and petrified that he wasn't finished. Emmett's questioning hadn't helped either, pushing her to mumble that she'd fallen on the stairs because she hadn't been able to think of anything else on the spot, particularly not with Rosalie blanching behind him looking for all the world as though she about to blurt out the truth.

"C'mon then, let's get this done before he moans about that, too. You wash, I'll dry and put away."

Before Scarlett could move, Marley tugged at the hem of her top insistently. Unable to crouch, she discarded the icepack, held a breath, and lifted Marley with shaking arms, stifling the scream clawing at her throat. She didn't want the poor child to know how badly it was hurting to hold her close.

Marley cocked her head, questions swimming in her eyes. Scarlett didn't need her to speak to know what she was asking with her doe eyes.

"I'm ok, babygirl." Marley didn't look convinced. "I'm all right, just a little sore from doing lots of work. Can I have some 'mooches? It'll make me feel better."

Despite being the youngest of the trio, Marley was arguably the most perceptive. She never missed a trick, and she most certainly wasn't mollified by Scarlett's assurance that she wasn't hurting. She protested with a quiet whine, but leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Scarlett's unmarred cheek before following it up with one to the tip of her nose. She hesitated before the last kiss. It should have been placed exactly where the purple was begin to show through Scarlett's pale skin.

"It's ok, baby, just be gentle."

With worried eyes, a kink between her brows, and pursed lips, Marley closed the distance between their faces and brushed a featherlight kiss to Scarlett's bruised cheekbone. It was gentle enough that it didn't hurt, and Scarlett pulled back with as wide a smile as she could manage.

"Thank you. I feel a lot better now."

Marley scowled, but didn't complain when Scarlett carefully slid her down to her feet, and she took a seat on a stool while Scarlett set about filling the big metal sink with sudsy water, fetching a drying cloth from the cupboard when Rosalie took over with the washing-up.

Rosalie didn't try to speak to Scarlett about her bruises again, she clearly wasn't going to discuss it, so she'd have to go along with her plan to pretend nothing was out of the ordinary. As she cleaned lasagna from the plates, it pained Rosalie to admit even subconsciously that the bruises Scarlett wore _weren't_ out of the ordinary.

Even though the duo were quiet as they washed, dried, and put away the dishes that had been dirtied, their minds whirred. Rosalie couldn't stop picturing Scarlett's face as she tried to eat the lasagna she usually loved.

Whilst Scarlett's thoughts were altogether different. They centered around their approaching birthday.

They'd be twenty-one.

Then, as she often was, Scarlett found herself distracted by another birthday coming soon.

 _January thirtieth_.

Unbidden, her eyes jumped to Rosalie's profile. Though the date would upset her, she knew it would affect Rosalie more. The day would be a somber one, just like it had been for most of their lives.

" _And we'll have a new guy arriving on the seventh. A cook, too. I want them to be up to scratch before I let them loose in the spring._ "

Two vastly different shades of blue eyes collided with body-numbing fear spreading through the girls as they listened to the boss telling the men in the dining room about their new colleagues. It sent ripples of anxiety through them. It had taken a long time, but they'd gotten used to the eight men there over the winter. Hearing that there would soon be two more, one they'd have to work with if they were indeed a cook, scared them more than they'd like to admit. As if that fear wasn't enough their stomachs were set rolling at the sound of a familiar, deep, sickening chuckle. It always freaked them out, how he could be so callous towards them but jovial in other company. In Scarlett's head she often referred to his dual personalities – the first, the disgusting pig she and Rosalie were well acquainted with; the second, the cheerful boss and loving father.

Marley edged closer, leaving her stool behind and clutching Mister Eddie to her chest as she wound an arm around Scarlett's thigh.

To stave off the paralysis creeping up her spine Scarlett reminded Rosalie to keep going with the washing up so they could go to their room sooner rather than later, smoothing a hand over Marley's head to soothe her until they could snuggle in bed. The only place they felt even a measure of safety.

"Seven dollars, fifty cents. How much is that with the rest?"

"Um, a hundred and eleven dollars. It's not great, but it's a start."

Carefully wrapping the bundle of change together in a sock, Scarlett tied the top before sliding it into place beneath a loose floorboard before covering it with the worse-for-wear rug. As she gingerly got to her feet she reminded herself not to show the pain caused by standing on her stamped-on-foot. Instead, she forced a smile for Rosalie and a slack-eyed Marley, settling on the bed with a resigned sigh.

"It's something."

Rosalie hugged herself tight, gazing out at the falling snow. "I guess you're right. More would be better though."

It wasn't a question, so Scarlett didn't bother answering. She opened an arm to Marley, managing a small smile when she girl curled into her embrace and swiftly relaxed enough to drift off to sleep. She'd been fighting it for hours. Since they went to bed two hours before, at least. Once her breaths had evened out and her little limbs had relaxed, Rosalie helped Scarlett shift her to the head of the bed and tuck her in. They both knew she'd wriggle down in the night and wake in the center of the bed as per usual, but they pillowed her head at the headboard regardless and pressed kisses to her soft forehead before taking their places either side of her.

The ranch hands finally made their way to bed around nine.

Rosalie listened as Emmett and his room-mate Jesse closed the door to their shared room next door, then to the other guys talking in their six-man bunk across the hall. A smile pulled at her lips when she heard a soft mewling from the window.

She hopped up, mindful of the sleeping child in the bed, to let two chilly cats inside.

Violet, a tabby with large, pale blue eyes made herself comfortable on the chair in the corner while her companion, a fluffy ginger tom, jumped neatly onto the bed to curl into Scarlett's side. He emitted a loud purr that made both girls laugh softly despite themselves.

"Make yourself at home," Scarlett hummed teasingly, ruffling his baby-soft fur.

Over the next hour or so the room was cloaked in complete darkness. The girls took turns in the bathroom, changing into warm, worn pajamas before climbing back into bed. Charlie, typically stubborn, didn't move and stayed in his perfect haven between Scarlett and Marley. Scarlett bade Rosalie goodnight, shifting until she was completely hidden from sight beneath the covers. It was her usual technique for getting to sleep, burrowed so deeply into the bed that she was just a ball curled slightly off-center. It was probably where little Marley got it from.

Rosalie, on the other hand, liked to spread out with her eyes above the cover so she could see the room around her. Not unlike a sentry guard, she mused as she rested her weary head against the thin pillow, drifting slowly into the safe, longed-for world they used to inhabit but could only dream of now.


	3. Chapter Two

**~ oOo ~**

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, pm'd, and added  
this tale to your fav's or alerts! It really does mean a lot to me.

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Two**

By January seventh, the day the two new ranch hands arrived, Scarlett and Rosalie had analyzed their daily routine to a 't', making adjustments so that neither of them would have to be alone with the newbies for long, if at all.

Scarlett's nights had been wrought with angst-ridden dreams, worry clouding her every thought. They'd haughtily been informed that the new cook and cleaner was a woman called Lola, and she'd be helping in the house only, while the man was named Paul and would be working, for the most part, in the barn with Emmett.

What had Scarlett tied up in knots was the reminder that within the next few months there would be more arrivals like this one. More random people for them to contend with. They had pushed the thought from their minds until now. Until it couldn't be avoided. Every year it was the same.

In the spring, fresh workers arrived to help with the growing demands of the ranch as the snow melted away and the fields became workable once more. By the time the autumn rolled around they would slowly trickle away again until there were around ten men left to tide the place over through the slower winter.

This year, Scarlett hoped fervently, would see the last intake she, Rosalie, and Marley would have to greet.

 **~ oOo ~**

On the morning Paul and Lola were due, Scarlett and Rosalie woke early to make sure their rooms were ready. Lola was getting the small single room on the opposite side of the house to the rest of the bedrooms. It had been renovated from a study into a tiny box room with a single, small round portal window to let room in. Paul would be joining the men in the group room, taking the last available bunk bed. For obvious reasons Scarlett and Rosalie couldn't just barge into the men's room to get it ready for Paul, so with Marley at their ankles they crossed the house. The decorating was lackluster at best with streaks in the pale peach paintwork and a lighter patch on the window wall.

Rosalie scowled while unrolling the bedding and making the bed, while Marley helped Scarlett with the dusting and polishing.

"And I thought our room was bad."

"You're not wrong, Rosalie. This room is horrible on a whole other level."

The girls shared an amused half-smile, continuing their task in peace.

"What do you think she's like?" Rosalie murmured as they walked arm-in-arm to the kitchen a short while later, Marley walking her bunny ahead of them.

Scarlett hummed. "Not sure. She must be nuts coming here voluntarily." Her words were wrapped carefully in manufactured cheer so as not to make Rosalie nervous. Scarlett knew her friend was worried about the newest arrivals, so she'd been doing her best to keep things normal.

As much as possible when everything was topsy turvy.

"Right, c'mon Rosalie. Let's get breakfast sorted."

Their sock-clad feet padded noiselessly through the bottom floor of the house, carrying them to the kitchen were they'd already set out the fixings for pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Waiting for them were Charlie and Violet, so Marley was given the task of pouring them a bowl of warm milk to share. She smiled gently and petted their soft bodies as they lapped it up with gusto.

Tugging her gray cocoon cardigan tighter around her white t-shirt, Rosalie got to work helping Scarlett with the breakfast. As was usual they worked in relative silence, only talking when it was necessary.

It wasn't until the front door banged open, pre-empting the muted thuds of three pairs of booted feet, that they shared a meaningful, misery-laden glance, the reality of the situation settling in.

This was two more people they had to keep the secret from.

On Scarlett's end, the glance was meant to reassure, whereas Rosalie's pleaded for something to cling onto. Just a bit of proof they'd be ok, that these two new people wouldn't mean trouble.

Marley was just scared. Scared of new people. Scared of the one pair of footsteps she did recognize. She darted across the room, scaring the cats into skittering away. Her tiny fists clenched the material of Scarlett's trouser-leg.

However much Scarlett wished she could, there wasn't anything she could say or do to quell Rosalie or Marley's nerves. She could only settle for scooping Marley into her arms so that she could hide her face while mouthing 'we're ok, it's ok' over her head to Rosalie.

A moment later a tall, gray-brown haired man stepped into the kitchen doorway. His presence swamped the room. Thin, shrewd hazel eyes glinted in warning.

"Scarlett, Rosalie, this is Paul and Lola. Paul, Lola…my daughters."

Unbeknownst to his new boss, as he'd wandered off towards the back of the house, Paul's calculating eyes caught the barely visible shudders that tore through the bodies of the girls he'd been told during the journey were non-identical twins. His eyes followed those of the darker-haired girl as she glanced towards the blonde's as though in need of encouragement. It gave him food for thought. Thinking back over the past few seconds, he wondered what their father could have said to garner such a reaction. He came up with nothing. Mr. Smith's introduction was entirely innocent – to unknowing ears, of course.

"Follow us. We'll show you to your rooms."

Paul's attention snapped to the girl Mr. Smith introduced as Scarlett as she gestured out of the kitchen, leading him and Lola out into the main living area. Only then did he notice the small child peeking out from her shoulder. "Well, hello, little one," he murmured with a soft smile.

Scarlett curled around Marley instinctively, but the little girl peeked out from behind the curtain of her dark hair. She wore it down that day, and it hung in loose waves around her shoulders.

"What's your name?"

"Marley," Rosalie finally murmured after a too-long pause.

Marley turned to look at her at the sound of her name, but she quickly returned to her position tucked into Scarlett's neck.

Paul glanced at Rosalie, then back to Marley. "Is she shy? I don't want to make her nervous."

"Yes, she's shy," Scarlett snapped, regretting it instantly. "Sorry. She's wary of strangers. We don't meet a lot of new people out here."

Paul smiled, nodding. "That's ok, I won't push her. She's a sweet little thing."

"She is! Is she your sister?" Lola piped up, a petite, chirpy woman.

Scarlett and Rosalie shared a heavy look.

"So this is where we eat all our meals. They're served at six, one, and seven. Don't be late."

Again, Paul noticed a strange look cross Rosalie's face. She almost looked, guilty? Perhaps she was often late to meals, he reasoned.

"There's a games room through there for when all the chores are done, and there's a smaller room up there for relaxing." Paul and Lola followed Scarlett's pointed hand upwards to the gallery, neither choosing to push the issue of who the little girl belonged to. From his angle they could only see the top of a bookcase and a stone fireplace.

"Lola, your room is up there so we'll show you to it in a minute."

The group walked up the stairs to a hallway of bedrooms, stopping at the second on the right where Scarlett knocked with a loose fist. After a few seconds the door opened to a reveal a sleepy-eyed José, a Spanish born man of around twenty. She asked in stilted Spanish if Paul could come in to get settled, smiling in thanks when he agreed and gestured for his new colleague to come inside before offering Lola a friendly, if tired, wave.

"Thanks, José."

"No worry. I bring him down at breakfast, Senorita."

Rosalie hid a smile against her shoulder. The man obviously adored Scarlett. The only time José didn't wear his signature scowl was when Scarlett happened to be around, talking in the few Spanish words she'd picked up from him in recent months.

With Paul dropped off at his new quarters the girls led Lola back through the house, up the stairs, through the small sitting room, and into her new bedroom.

Rosalie's hesitance in being far from Scarlett was clear to Lola, who watched them with curiosity from the corner of her eye. Just as they stepped to one side, letting her enter her new room, she saw Scarlett briefly clasp Rosalie's hand in her own before letting go. It was clearly a gesture meant to reassure, but she was sure it couldn't be her frightening the new boss's daughter? At an average height of five-feet-seven Lola had always believed herself to look fairly nondescript, certainly not scary like Rosalie's behavior indicated.

The pair, she decided, along with their stuffy father and apparently mute little sister, were a conundrum to be solved.

 **~ oOo ~**

Paul was amongst the first group of four to arrive at the breakfast tables. Emmett, Jesse, Paul, and José sat at one of the two smaller tables nearest the kitchen, leaving the other five men and Lola to use the matching one beside it. Lola slid into her seat just a minute or two after Scarlett carried out the already-prepared breakfast, setting it out across the two tables. Then she returned, this time minus Marley clinging to her torso, with the coffee.

Once Lola had finished eating she insisted on helping Rosalie and Scarlett with the tidying up, trying to make conversation but giving up when she realized it was a fruitless venture. It was clearly going to take some time for them to trust her, which was understandable, she surmised. Instead of pressuring them to talk she told them all about herself. About her childhood in various foster homes, how she found the ad to be a housekeeper that led her to the ranch after an interview with Mr. Smith himself. She was twenty-three, Lola told them, having spent the past year sofa-surfing and trying to 'find herself'. Though Rosalie and Scarlett didn't openly look interested in her spiel Lola could tell they were at least listening.

It was a start, she conceded.

By the time the girls finished cleaning the breakfast things away, the men had all marched off into the snow. For the next few hours Scarlett and Rosalie explained their day-to-day jobs with Marley hovering nearby, not wanting to be alone, but not wanting to get too close to the stranger, either. The trio talked little, but grew gradually more used to each other's presence. Scarlett and Rosalie were still wary, but less so than at the beginning of the day. Scarlett sensed there was nothing threatening about Lola, but remained unwilling to let her guard down completely. The wary girl promised herself that she'd bide her time before falling into any traps they may have been set. It flummoxed and frustrated Scarlett to have two new people there at once, because she couldn't keep an eye on Paul, whom she'd become increasingly suspicious of throughout the day, as well as Rosalie, Marley, and Lola. It just wasn't possible for her to be in two places at once.

It was a problem she quickly realized she needed to find a solution to, and soon, for the sake of her mind as well as Rosalie's.

 **~ oOo ~**

Over the next couple of weeks the girls' saving grace came in the unexpected form of a twenty-four year old stable hand with a worn cowboy hat, a Texan accent, and irresistible grin. On the twenty-first of January, two weeks two weeks after the arrival of the newest recruits, Scarlett found herself in the barn for the morning while Rosalie helped Emmett shine the horses' tack. There wasn't a great distance between the pair, but they were further apart than usual. Marley was having a particularly clingy day, and had been settled on a bucket in the corner of Bear's stall behind Scarlett.

She listened to Emmett's booming chuckle intermittently cradling Rosalie's softer tone, marveling at the separation they'd allowed. When the 'yes' popped out of Rosalie's mouth earlier in reply to Emmett's invitation to help with the tack in the tack room, it had surprised all of them. It took a few long seconds for them to realize that the idea didn't scare Rosalie as much as it once might have.

A violent storm had ripped through the area during the past couple of weeks, tearing up everything it its path only to leave a trail of devastation in its wake like a toddler throwing a tantrum. The boss and his wife were stranded in New York, so most of the ranch hands had taken the opportunity to spend more time in the house. Including Emmett. He'd taken every chance possible to make the girls smile, enjoying their uncharacteristic happiness as they slowly opened up more and more.

That was how Emmett and Rosalie found themselves holed up with a mountain of tack and only the morning to make the worn leather and metal look brand new.

Rosalie's distraction with Emmett gave Scarlett the opportunity to watch Paul without having to worry her feelings were showing. Rosalie didn't need to know about the handful of odd conversations she'd overheard between Paul and whoever he spoke to on the phone every few days. At least not until Scarlett could decide whether they were important. So far all she'd only heard strangely worded chats with somebody called 'Lawrence', but she was certain he didn't know about her eavesdropping and that was the way she intended to keep it.

Experience had taught her that men didn't like to be listened in on.

If it weren't for the fact that he hung around an awful lot, watching the interactions between her, Rosalie, and particularly Marley, she wouldn't have paid him any more mind than the other ranch hands. As it was though, he made her nervous with his guarded eyes. Scarlett made her mind up that she'd keep observing him. If he _was_ hiding something, she'd find out eventually.

"C'mon Rosalie, time to head in for lunch!" Scarlett smiled gently, holding out a hand to Marley. The little girl scampered off her stool, through the straw, and climbed Scarlett's body. With her spindly arms and legs wrapped around her torso, Scarlett kissed Marley's head before heading towards the tack room. "Are you ready?"

"Uh-huh, let me just…" Rosalie sighed, rising to rinse her hands of saddle soap in the rusty sink. Emmett chuckled from his spot, cross-legged on the floor, an old blanket folded beneath him. "Thanks for letting me help, Emmett."

"You're more than welcome, Missy. Any time. It's nice to have the company, especially when it's as pretty as you."

Scarlett hid her grin in Marley's hair when Emmett's wink brought out a rosy tint to Rosalie's face. "See you in a bit, Emmett," she told him softly, looping her arm through Rosalie's once she joined her in the doorway.

Neither girl chose to mention the ease with which Rosalie had been interacting with Emmett as of late, brushing it to the back of their minds as they trudged through the snow to the house. Scarlett was positive the other girl was harboring a crush on the older man, and she'd have put money on him returning said crush.

Back in the kitchen, Lola had already started on the mountain of toasted sandwiches for the men. She, Scarlett, and Rosalie had prepared the fillings earlier in the morning, so it was just a matter of assembling them once the latter two girls arrived. Marley even got in on it, sitting atop the counter where she could assist in layering the fillings and bread.

"What shall we put in these ones, princess?" Lola asked.

Marley tipped her head to one side, eyebrows crinkled.

"She doesn't know what 'princess' means," Rosalie supplied when it became obvious Lola didn't know what had confused Marley.

"What do you mean? Surely she knows what a princess is. Hasn't she seen any on TV? In cartoons or something?"

Scarlett scoffed, drawing Lola's attention. "Have you seen any cartoons on around here?"

Lola frowned.

Marley made a small sound of protest at being forgotten, reaching for Rosalie. Safe in her arms, she frowned and patted Rosalie's cheek gently.

"'Princess' is just a nickname, Marley. Like 'Marley moo' or 'Mars', right?"

This seemed to be enough of an explanation for Marley. She nodded decisively, then wriggled towards the counter so Rosalie would know what she wanted. Back atop the counter she continued making sandwiches, giggling silently into her hands when Lola snuck her a slice of cheese. She didn't eat the morsel, instead clutching it in her fist while she used her free hand to place slices of cheese and ham between slices of bread. Lola watched from the corner of her eye, but the little girl never ate the cheese while they were in the kitchen. She didn't see what she did with it, though.

A short while later, when they had prepared an enormous array of toasted sandwiches and had stacked them in the oven to warm, Lola cheered, "it's stopped snowing!"

Rosalie offered her a wry smile. "That doesn't mean much out here. It could just start up again in a few hours."

"She's right. If it's anything like last year we'll have snow on and off 'til April."

"April? You're kidding? Really?"

Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley all smiled at the scrunched-up expression Lola pulled. They'd been getting used to each other slowly, becoming more used to the new woman's mannerisms and expressions over time. They had started to come further from their shells with each passing day, their jobs much easier if they communicated more. More often than not they split up after their breakfast duties, spreading out to get the household chores done, but it hadn't taken as long as they'd expected for Scarlett and Rosalie to feel comfortable having Lola around. It was a plus for all three of them, really. They all felt less lonely, and they got their work done quicker.

Begrudgingly, Scarlett had already admitted to Rosalie that she was beginning to appreciate Lola's company. After years of being the only young women it was surprisingly nice to have another around, even if they weren't best of friends and their camaraderie was built on years upon years of lies.

Just then, they heard the first men arriving for lunch, so they gathered up the warmed platters to carry them into the dining area, setting them out on one of the long tables just as Jesse and José appeared. Ten minutes later all thirteen occupants of the ranch were seated, tucking into the feast the girls had prepared. Grunts and murmurs of appreciation were banded about, as well as the odd slice of fruit. It became clear early on that the men weren't nearly as keen on the fruit as they were of the greasy toasted sandwiches. The ham in particular were proving popular, so Rosalie sacrificed hers for a plain cheese, smiling when Emmett offered her his trademark grin. Her cheeks flushed light pink despite her wishing they wouldn't, which pleased him if the widening of his smile was anything to go by.

Something about Emmett just set off all sorts of bells and whistles in Rosalie's stomach. The cheeky, boyish smile on his stubble-framed face frequently sent butterflies erupting. What confused her the most was that he didn't make her anywhere near as uncomfortable as the other men did. Of all of them he was the loudest, most jovial, and cheery. The biggest personality. They were all qualities she didn't like to see, knowing they'd only remind her of a similar young man she missed terribly. The only thing she could think of to explain away her ease in his presence was the fact that he'd been on the ranch for the longest. Going on ten years this coming summer, she realized. Forgetting herself, Rosalie smiled nostalgically at the memory of the goofy, floppy-haired seventeen year old he was when he arrived.

If it weren't for Scarlett's sharp, pointed cough Rosalie might've spent the whole afternoon pondering the conundrum that was her reaction to Emmett McCarty. Instead, she refocused on the breakfast table, helping Lola and Scarlett with the cleaning while Marley clung to the latter's back, the men manfully chugging the last of their drinks before trudging back out into the cold, thankful of the warm food in their stomachs to keep them tided over until dinner time. It would doubtlessly feel far longer than the five or so hours they'd have to wait.

By the time all of the household chores had been completed Scarlett and Rosalie were exhausted, and Marley was fighting her nap, hard. Watching Lola wander in the direction of her room, they followed suit and got comfy on their bed with Marley fast asleep in the middle of them. Charlie was curled up on Scarlett's pillow, eager amber eyes irresistibly pleading for a cuddle. She sat with him, while Rosalie moved to make herself comfortable on an old chair by the window. She gazed out between the chipped window frame through troubled eyes, the weak light turning them gray-blue. For a while, her gaze was unseeing, only snapping into focus when Emmett, Jesse, and Paul appeared in the entrance to the barn for a smoke break. Rosalie's expression turned wistful as she watched them laughing, joking, shoving like teenagers. The normality of their behavior hit her in the gut like a sledgehammer, reminding her of how abnormal she was. The reminder, however innocent the men were in their banter, hurt.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

As always, Scarlett immediately noticed there was something eating at Rosalie. She moved carefully, so that she wouldn't wake Marley, and began playing with Rosalie's loose hair hanging over her slender shoulders. It was a little longer than she usually wore it, but both girls liked it this way.

"Will we ever be like that?"

Scarlett's eyes followed Rosalie's out into the settled snow, landing on the trio of men roughhousing. Jesse had Emmett in a headlock while Paul was doubled over laughing nearby. "You mean immature? I hope not."

Breathing out an amused sigh, Rosalie peeked up at Scarlett, so confident and brave despite everything. Even in that moment, with the last of the bruises from the last punishment barely visible, a yellowing tinge on her cheek, she looked strong. Stronger than Rosalie had any hope to ever be. Just once she'd like to be able to stand up for herself when it really mattered.

"You know what I mean. They're normal, and we're…not."

Shoving aside her own feelings, Scarlett focused on Rosalie's, leaning down so her chin rested upon wavy red-blonde locks. She huffed a gentle sigh. "Who cares about being normal? Normal's not so great. I'd rather be unique."

The words lingered in the air between them, the subject shelved for the moment, but neither girl believed them. What Scarlett and Rosalie wouldn't give to be normal, just for one day.

 **~ oOo ~**

January thirtieth rolled around, as it did every year. Also like every year, it brought a tense blanket that shrouded the entire ranch.

The men, and Lola, couldn't miss the negative vibes emanating from Scarlett and Rosalie. They did their best to avoid them and keep their rowdiness to a minimum. Lola offered to deal with breakfast the night before, the girls having come to an agreement that every now and then they'd do alternate shifts to give each other extra rest time. With the boss and his wife having been away for business the ranch hands were more relaxed with their work, not quite as regimented with the times they popped back into the house for a hot drink or to use decent plumbing. They unknowingly made the girls more edgy by taking away their security blanket – the schedule.

When the second-to-last day of January arrived there were two empty seats at the breakfast table. While Lola served up waffles and toaster pastries to the men the girls laid silently on their bed, Marley between them confused but knowing not to question the hushed sobs escaping Scarlett and Rosalie every now and then. For hours before the dawn they had lain beneath the covers waiting for the day to get underway already. However, once it arrived, they didn't know what to do with themselves. They weren't sure whether to try to push the torrents of tears away or embrace them along with the crushing sorrow they represented. It was the same dilemma they faced multiple times a year, but they never felt different – except perhaps increasingly resentful.

"It's ok, Rosie, it's gonna be ok," Scarlett murmured eventually into Rosalie's hair, tangled and un-brushed on the damp pillow between their tear-stained, heartbreakingly sad faces. When Rosalie lifted her eyes a moment later they shared a resolute look of determination. Determination to get up and get on with their day now that the melancholy mood had been pushed aside enough for them to function.

"Lola will be done with breakfast by now, but we can help with the other stuff."

Rosalie nodded her head after a quick sigh, running her fingers gently through Marley's hair. It hadn't been brushed either, and would doubtlessly be a nightmare to comb. She knew as well as Scarlett that if they stayed in bed all day wallowing it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference. They'd only feel worse for wasting the day when they could have been using their chores as welcome distractions from the meaning of this day.

With a heavy, drawn-out breath Scarlett pushed herself up before stretching out her achy muscles, scooping Marley into her arms, and padding into the en-suite bathroom, Rosalie's resigned footsteps not far behind. The trio washed and dressed in silence, leaving their room in morose, somber colours that matched their moods – both in faded white, almost gray, scoop-neck tanks and cropped gray joggers. Rosalie donned a floral gray hoodie and Scarlett, a navy knitted wrap. Marley insisted upon wearing the same as Scarlett, and so they were twinning as the trio stepped out into the now-quiet dining area.

Hopelessly oblivious to what this day represented, Marley used her two index fingers to coax Rosalie's lips up into a smile, not realizing just how painful a gesture it was for the older girl.

For Rosalie, the birthday of her long-dead mother was not a day she could celebrate and it hadn't been for many years.

It was, however, the first day in many that the girls allowed themselves to think of their true parentage, the families they'd left behind, even just in their minds. It didn't bring them anything but the despair they'd grown so used to.


	4. Chapter Three

**~ oOo ~**

The response to this story of mine so far has been a touch overwhelming,  
I have to say. I'm loving knowing there are people growing as attached  
to these girls as I am. SunflowerFran, all will be revealed regarding Marley,  
and why Scarlett is _his_ favorite - in due time ;)

Thanks again, everyone!

 *****THIS CHAPTER DOES CONTAIN VIOLENCE, SO PLEASE PM IF  
** **YOU'D RATHER I JUST OUTLINED THE CHAPTER FOR YOU*****

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Three**

Just as Scarlett and Rosalie expected, the day passed in a slow, sad haze. They went about their chores as normal, preparing sausage and tomato pasta for lunch and chicken with all the fixings for dinner. By the time the men had left after eating lunch, all of the day's tasks had been completed ahead of schedule, the girls working without pause or chatter, as had become habit. A shroud of misery cloaked the entire ranch. Scarlett and Rosalie's moods affected the others around them more than they realized. Despite their quiet natures they were the heart of the ranch, them and sweet, silent Marley. They fed more than just the men's rumbling stomachs with their soft gentleness and sweet smiles. It was a credit to their acting skills that they could keep up their unaffected, settled act for the better part of the year, though on this day, it wasn't fooling anybody.

They skipped dinner completely.

Everyone noticed the gaping hole at the table that they left. Emmett's eyes flitted to the open kitchen door often, his stomach in a tight, uncomfortable knot. He missed them. Missed seeing Rosalie's blush when he complimented her, hearing Scarlett's snarky remarks, and the way Marley would duck shyly into Scarlett's neck while smiling whenever he pulled cheeky faces at her. Their presence shouldn't have made this much difference to his usually cheery mood, but it did, and he wasn't sure what to think about it.

The men around him were just as solemn, picking up on the mood, so the laughter around the table they'd become used to was glaringly absent.

The shroud pulled tight around them all.

As Emmett and his colleagues mustered up the courage to head outside to make sure everything was set for the evening, he glanced back towards the kitchen, spotting Rosalie just as she ducked back inside with the empty plates from the table. His already dark mood plummeted because she was obviously avoiding them for whatever reason. Over the past couple of weeks he'd _thought_ they were creating a friendship of sorts. He'd even started helping the girls learn a few chords on an old guitar one of the guys dug out from an outbuilding, although so far only Rosalie showed any talent on it. A slight smile pulled at his lips as he tugged on his beanie and remembered Scarlett's excitement when she discovered her talent for playing the harmonica. Where she struggled remembering the chords on the guitar she excelled at the mouth organ, making intricate melodies seemingly without any effort. Emmett hadn't felt bad at all when he'd given her the harmonica he'd bought on a supply run the summer before.

It was with that thought, _the girls will bounce back_ , that Emmett set off into the now-melting snow with the other men to bed the horses down for the night.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen Scarlett kept one eye on Rosalie and the other on Lola, who she feared was making up all kinds of theories about why the girls were so distraught this particular day. The thought worried her. It had always been the main rule the boss enforced – nobody is to know anything besides them, and it had to stay that way. Who knew what he'd do if he thought she or Rosalie had been shooting their mouths off to the new housekeeper. Just the first scenario shoving its way into her mind made Scarlett shudder, her arms tightening around Marley's body, pained by the inevitability of a punishment worse than any suffered at his hands before.

"Scarlett? Are you showering first or second tonight?"

A wide-eyed Scarlett spun to face Rosalie. She blinked a few times before focusing. "Um…"

Anything to do with the shower was their code to check if they were ok. In this instance she supposed she wasn't ok, so she nodded, saying 'goodnight' to Lola in a semi-trance before carrying Marley up the stairs and into the bedroom they'd shared since the beginning.

"Are you ok?" Rosalie asked worriedly, her own sadness creeping back up on her like a tidal wave now they had escaped from prying eyes. It took everything in her to keep in control throughout the day. Back in the relative safety of their room it was exceedingly difficult to carry on holding it together.

As though reading her mind, Scarlett realized the same thing. She snapped out of her trance with a sharp gasp.

Rosalie watched with a vague sense of horror as Scarlett changed before her eyes from white-faced to cool and collected. She had to admit it made her even more nervous to see the almost instantaneous transition between the two emotions, despite it not being the first time. More than once Scarlett had somehow gone from opposite ends of emotional spectrum within seconds. It wasn't hard to deduce it was her defense mechanism, the thing she most relied on to keep herself, Rosalie, and Marley safe when things went bad, when she needed to be strong enough for the three of them. Times like this one.

Scarlett reached back to kick the door shut, turning just in time to wrap her free arm around Rosalie before she trembled to the ground. "It's ok, you're ok. You can cry with me," she murmured into Rosalie's hair, rubbing her back gently as she rocked them gently side-to-side, feeling Marley's breaths even out against her neck and knowing she'd lost her fight to sleep.

Passing minutes found the pair tangled together beneath the covers on the bed, their tears dampening the pillow beneath their faces as they cried until their voices were gone, their eyes dry.

Outside the sky turned from gray-blue to gray, from gray to navy and then to black, the clouds finally parting around midnight to display the stars in a stunning vista. As the first day of February dawned Scarlett padded on socked feet to the window, leaving Marley wrapped around Rosalie so she could gaze out at the dark, rainy night.

It wasn't even one a.m. when her eyes caught movement. She squinted, making out the silhouette of a familiar, average height man, his pale blond hair covered by a hood. She watched him walk towards the barn, pausing just outside the doors to glance up at her window. With the light switched off Scarlett knew he wouldn't be able to see her, especially with the sheets of rain pouring down, so she didn't move even as he stared up. Then, he turned, pushing the door open just enough so that he could slip inside. Just as he disappeared from sight she saw him pull something from his coat pocket, _perhaps his phone_ , she mused, suspicions now thoroughly roused. What could necessitate Paul having to go out to the barn, in the rain, this early – or late, depending on your view – to make a call?

 **~ oOo ~**

"Good morning. Thank you." Scarlett's eyes stayed trained firmly on Paul as he accepted the coffee Rosalie poured with a grateful, tired smile.

 _No wonder you're tired_ , she thought to herself wryly, moving on to pour the rest of the men their wake-up drink of choice. Ever since she watched Paul walk back into the house at almost two a.m. that morning she'd been wondering what he could be up to, unable to sleep for thoughts of Rosalie's agonized, fitful rest and the possibility that Paul could've been brought in to spy on them. Scarlett couldn't think of anything they could have done to warrant a babysitter, but since when did they ever have to actually do anything? Sometimes, punishments seemed like more of a spur of the moment thing than anything else.

Around the table Emmett's eyes alternated between Rosalie's reddened baby-blues and Scarlett's contemplative expression. He noticed her attention frequenting Paul. The way she eyed him made mistrust spring to mind. That notion was one he didn't like at all, so Emmett made a promise to himself that he'd have a word with the new guy. So far Paul hadn't proven himself to be anything but a good guy and a hard worker, but if he was making the girls uncomfortable in their own home then Emmett couldn't stand by in good conscience and let it happen.

 **~ oOo ~**

The sun was well on its way to the horizon when Emmett heard familiar, light footsteps on the rungs of the ladder leading to the hayloft. His lips spread into a wide, welcoming grin as first Scarlett and Marley, then Rosalie, popped their heads into the makeshift hay-fort before clambering inside, perching on a hay bale with Marley and Mister Eddie at their feet.

"You brought Mister Eddie to learn too, little one?"

Marley's lips curled up in a bashful smile as she leaned into Scarlett's leg, twirling a lock of her hair around one tiny finger. She was a beautiful child, with large doe eyes and an angelic face to rival any cherub. With her small button nose, rosebud lips, and pale skin dotted with a few small freckles, she looked like a porcelain doll.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Emmett teased, moving his attention to the older girls.

Scarlett displayed a little of the spirit she'd begun showing him recently by rolling her eyes with a huff. "Are you going to teach us, or what?"

The tone of her voice, sarcastic and teetering on the edge of playful, made Emmett's happiness at seeing them increase tenfold. _This_ is how he liked to see them. _Not_ somber and silent.

"Of course, of course."

After passing the worn guitar to Rosalie, he chuckled, tossing the harmonica in an arc that ended with Scarlett's small hand plucking it from the air with ease. Her lips twitched into the tiniest of smiles, but to Emmett, the small movement was a huge victory. Especially as Rosalie's fingers ran over the smooth wood of the guitar and he spotted the beginnings of a smile on her face, too. It was the first time in over a week he'd been blessed with either of their smiles.

"What do you ladies want to play today?"

This time, it was Rosalie rolling her eyes. "We don't know anything to play, yet. How about we start with the chords?"

Both Scarlett and Emmett laughed at the matter-of-fact statement from Rosalie. Marley too, though her giggles were silent, and shielded by her small hands over her mouth.

"Oh I see how it is. You're the boss lady now, huh?"

Rosalie shrugged, but her cheeks were flaming so it was clear she hadn't meant to come across as she had, it was all false bravado now she was embarrassed.

"All right." Emmett kicked off his boots, wiggling his toes in the straw and winking when he caught Marley peeking at him from behind her curtain of hair. "Let's get to it, then."

The next couple of hours saw the adults making up silly tunes on the guitar and harmonica, Marley quite content to listen and strum a few chords on Rosalie's lap. Once her young mind tired of trying to learn the new skill she wandered away, exploring the hayloft with Mister Eddie wedged firmly between her arm and her side. Finally finding a comfy spot still within view of Scarlett, Rosalie, and Emmett, she settled down and fell asleep with her head pillowed on her hand, feeling safe with the wall of straw at her back and her three favorite people at her front.

 **~ oOo ~**

It was Lola's day to prepare a simple dinner so the girls were surprised to hear her yelling their names well before seven – the allotted dinner time. Rosalie, Scarlett, and Emmett scrambled down the ladder into the late afternoon sun, Marley clinging to Scarlett's back like a little baby monkey until they were on the ground and she could wiggled back to her hip. The warmth was a welcome reprieve from the rain of yesterday, and the day before that.

At least, it would have been if Scarlett hadn't immediately spotted the reason for Lola's summons.

Parked beside the house in all its pretentious glory was the boss' supped up, shiny black four-by-four with its gold trim and black-as-pitch windows.

Rosalie noticed Scarlett's stricken face first, her expression falling before Emmett could ask what was wrong.

"Scarlett, Rosalie, are you ok?" He eventually murmured. Without thinking he reached out to rest his hand on the latter's shoulder. She flinched violently away from it, grabbing Scarlett's arm to tug her towards the house without looking back. Just as the pair reached the door Scarlett glanced back over her shoulder, offering him all she could.

The frightened grimace and terrified eyes she showed him for the first time were only the start of many shocks Emmett would receive over the next few weeks.

"Ah, there you are." Lola watched from the small sitting room outside her bedroom as her boss greeted his daughters. From her raised position behind him his face wasn't visible, but Scarlett and Rosalie's were. Lola's eyes narrowed as Rosalie's cheeks burned scarlet. In contrast, her sister's face was wiped completely clean of any emotion whatsoever, and Marley had tucked herself so far into Scarlett's body they were practically one person. It was almost scary to look a, Lola admitted to herself at the same time as Mr. Smith called out for his wife. Moments later the bottle-blonde appeared at the top of the stairs opposite her, dressed in impractical gold metallic jeans, a cream shirt with ruffled sleeves and a pair of peep-toe high heels. From the dining table, where a few of the men not working were sitting, there were hushed murmurs of appreciation.

The woman's white-blonde bob was solid and unmoving, just like her over-botoxed face.

The sight nauseated Scarlett and Rosalie.

"Girls, your _mother_ has come home for a visit. She's staying for a few weeks, isn't that right, darling?" Mr. Smith draped an arm around his wife, one hand sliding down to cup her behind possessively. Mrs. Smith didn't move, so if she objected to the gesture she didn't show it. At least not that Lola could see. The thought of the man touching her sent a shiver through Lola's body. He had to be fifty, maybe even pushing sixty. And though she'd had a lot of work done, Mrs. Smith couldn't have been older than thirty. A trophy wife, if ever she'd seen one. Not that she'd want that trophy even if it were giving to her for free.

"It is, darrrrling." Lola cringed at the exaggerated rolling of the woman's 'r's, continuing to listen to Mr. Smith telling his daughters they'd need to make up her usual bedroom next to his. Lola frowned. _She doesn't share his room? What am I saying…of course she doesn't. Who'd want to sleep with Creepy McCreeperson_.

Before Scarlett or Rosalie could leave, he extended a hand and placed it on Scarlett's shoulder. Even from twenty-feet away Lola could see the way she flinched. It didn't _look_ as though he was gripping hard enough to hurt…

"Hold on Scarlett. I just want to talk to you for a minute. Rosalie, run along and fetch the things for your mother's room."

If Lola had been closer she'd have heard the timid, nervous whimper escaping Rosalie's lips. She'd have seen the way Scarlett's jaw tightened. It would've been painful if her body hadn't slipped into a stunned state of detachment.

Mrs. Smith didn't notice either of those things even though she was standing as close as a foot away. She was too busy eyeing the man letting himself in behind them. His dark blond hair was scruffy once he'd tugged a well-worn beanie from his head, rugged and masculine jaw framed in a light smattering of stubble.

To her horror his eyes didn't stick on her for longer than a second, instead following Scarlett's body as she trailed after Mr. Smith towards his study at the back of the house. They danced to Rosalie then, who ran a hand over Marley's head as she strained around her towards Scarlett as they moved up the stairs.

Mrs. Smith held out a manicured hand, forming the most alluring expression manageable with her lips pouted and eyes wide. "Hello, I'm—"

"Sorry Ma'am, but is everything ok? I saw…has there been some bad news?"

Her face fell, and Emmett mistook that to mean that something _had_ happened. His stomach churned in misery for them. He'd taken the few minutes since they left him to consider how much trouble he might get in for prying, deciding it was worth the risk and marching across the yard. Besides, his boss often laughed or joked with him and the other ranch hands. Surely he wouldn't object to him asking if the girls were ok? Everyone on the ranch knew how protective of the girls Mr. Smith was.

He'd proven that with a shotgun and an impromptu lesson in what he called 'manners' one spring almost five years ago.

He'd expected to come in and find them having a happy reunion – the girls' parents had been away for weeks – but instead he saw Mr. Smith leading Scarlett towards the forbidden study, Rosalie running up the stairs with Marley as fast as her feet could carry her, and the startlingly blonde woman he knew to be the boss' wife standing alone in the entrance.

"Nothing's wrong—" she began, trailing off in a shrill voice that he, ashamedly, admitted reminded him of a horse's whinny.

Emmett blew out a long breath, realizing he had two choices. He could push it, or leave it be for now. The chances were the girls would tell him anyway, their friendship growing stronger by the day.

"All right, well, sorry for interrupting, Ma'am. I'll just be getting back to work." With that he turned on his booted heel, taking three long strides to get to the door. It slammed shut behind him, making Mrs. Smith jump. She huffed with more than a hint of petulance, annoyed with herself for not even getting his name.

"You'd finished all of your chores, huh?"

Scarlett cowered away from the man towering over her, hating herself for it all the while. Feeling weak, scared, insignificant.

"What about the kitchen? Did you make sure it's all cleaned ready for breakfast tomorrow?"

"N-no. It was Lola's turn to do dinner tonight. We did breakfast and l-lunch," she whimpered.

The atmosphere around them was saturated in rage, fear emanating from the petite blonde in torrents. _I've never seen him this angry before_ , she admitted to herself, not in the almost twelve years she'd known him. She had no idea what she was about to be punished for, her heart racing impossibly fast in her chest.

The first sign, as if this show of animalistic dominance wasn't enough, that he was about to lose it came in the form of a rumbling growl in his chest.

"Lola's _turn_? So, what? You take turns now? I thought you understood your place here, Scarlett." He spat her name through gritted teeth, Scarlett having to stifle a disgusted expression when spittle flew past her face. " _You_ and _your sister_ do the housework! Lola is here to assist, not to do it all herself while you gallivant all over the place and whore yourself around!" He sucked in a long breath, "get up."

Rising as slowly as she thought she might be able to get away with, Scarlett felt the first of many tears tumbling over her cheeks. She clamped her teeth together while her stomach rolled. There was no use fighting this, so she resigned herself to having a few limitations over the next few days.

 **~ oOo ~**

Rosalie's eyes followed her sister's tense movements as she stubbornly refused to have any help, wincing with every tug on the quilt she was trying to cover. The bruises were blooming already. They covered the right side of her jaw and ribs in colorful patterns of purple and blue – simply knowing they were there made Rosalie feel sick to her stomach. "Scarlett _please_ , just let me hel—"

"It's fine, Rosalie. Leave it," Scarlett snapped.

Chastened, Rosalie nodded, turning to dust a cabinet she'd already dusted so Scarlett wouldn't see the tears leaking from her eyes. As if she didn't feel bad enough, Scarlett wouldn't even let her ease the burden when she was obviously in a lot of pain. When she met Rosalie outside the room they had to prepare for 'their mother' Rosalie had known she'd been right to worry. Only Scarlett and the boss knew exactly what went on in his study but it obviously wasn't a friendly father-daughter chat like he had everyone believe.

 _What's she going to tell the others when they ask?_ Rosalie wondered, distraught at the sight of Scarlett's struggle.

"Right, c'mon. We can clear up so Lola can do whatever she wants," Scarlett said. She moved gingerly towards the door, pausing only when Marley darted across the room to tug the hem of her top. Misery painted Scarlett's features. "I'm sorry babygirl, I can't pick you up right now. Rosalie—"

Marley was shaking her head before she could even finish speaking. Scarlett sighed, unable to even crouch to speak to her easier. With pleading eyes, Marley raised her arms in entreaty. The 'please' was plain as day on her face.

Scarlett shot a pleading look at Rosalie, watching through tear-filled eyes as she scooped Marley up and tried to soothe the sting by stroking her hair. It usually worked, but Marley squirmed and whined until she was set back on the floor, refusing to be picked up again. She walked beside Scarlett instead, clutching the fabric of her joggers in one tiny fist, her bunny in the other.

The girls headed downstairs at a slow gait, finally reaching the kitchen just as Lola finished packing away the last of the clean dishes. She glanced in their direction, doing a double-take when she spotted the dark bruising on Scarlett's face, the way she was tilting her body to one side, free arm curled around her mid-section.

Lola's gut clenched. She had to force herself not to go into protective, questioning mode. It was as though she'd been seeing through black and white lenses but they'd suddenly been replaced with high-definition color. It all added up. Why hadn't she noticed it before?

"You walk into a door or something?" She injected fake teasing into her voice, flicking the dish towel towards her with a manufactured grin.

Scarlett's eyes were devoid of emotion as she lied. "Something like that. Do you need us to help with anything?"

"No, uh, everything's done. It was my turn, wasn't it?"

Seeing the chance to get Scarlett resting quicker, Rosalie thanked Lola for doing the washing up, gently tugging her away to their bedroom before she could argue. Once there Rosalie dragged a cabinet in front of the door, locking it for good measure, before ordering Scarlett to get in the bath while she assembled the first aid kit.

"There's no use, Rosalie."

"Of course there is! Don't be ridiculous. Besides, you didn't shower this morning, and Marley could use a hair wash, too. Do you want a bath, Marley moo?"

Marley smiled, nodding. Her earlier bad mood forgotten at the promise of a bath, she hurried into the bathroom and the older girls heard the sounds of a little girl wrestling with her clothes.

Resigned, because there was no way Scarlett would say no now Marley was excited, she sighed and trailed after Rosalie into the bathroom. The tub wasn't very big, but neither were Scarlett and Marley. It took some careful maneuvering, then a pair of scissors to Scarlett's top, but fifteen minutes later she and Marley were sitting opposite each other in the water, Marley's skinny little legs atop Scarlett's. The ranch didn't have an unlimited supply of hot water, and by this time of day the ranch hands had usually used the majority of it up, but the warmth was comforting on Scarlett's muscles, and Marley was content enough to splash her feet and hands.

It hurt Scarlett's heart that she didn't seem the slightest bit worried about the marks on her body. That said, it wasn't a new thing for Marley, to see bruises on Scarlett's skin. She was used to the sight.

Scarlett couldn't help but admit the bath was making her feel a little better. She leaned back against the edge of the tub and just watched Marley enjoying the water. She loved to see the rare smiles Marley blessed them with. She really was a ray of sunshine when she was happy. Truly the brightest part of Scarlett's day. Without Marley, Scarlett wasn't sure what state she'd be in. Everything she did was for Marley and Rosalie. Without them, Scarlett wouldn't have had any motivation to keep going. So for that, she was happy to let Marley sit in the tub as long as she wanted. And they did. They sat in the tub for almost thirty minutes, until their feet were wrinkled and their hands pruned.

Rosalie helped Marley out first, wrapping her in the one good towel they had before settling her on the bed while she helped Scarlett. The little girl didn't need to see Scarlett struggling, didn't need to witness the tears she shed when moving proved agonizing.

After their soak Rosalie sat Scarlett on the bed beside Marley. Scarlett eased onto the mattress with a wince. She'd managed to pull on a faded white tank top herself and gray check pajama bottoms, while Marley had chosen a long black t-shirt and a pair of black leggings to wear. Rosalie hadn't bothered to change yet, more focused on helping Scarlett. She knelt on the floor in front of her.

"This is going to hurt. Did you take the painkillers I left on the side of the tub?" Rosalie whispered, picking up the roll of bandage from the floor at her feet.

Scarlett stifled a sob and nodded.

"Ok. I'll be gentle as I can. Don't move." Carefully, Rosalie raised the tank top until pink skin faded into black and blue. She wasn't a doctor but it was pretty obvious the ribs were badly bruised. Perhaps broken, but they wouldn't know. It wasn't as if they could get to a hospital, even if the boss would let them. With slightly shaky hands and an anguished cry in her throat, Rosalie began to wrap Scarlett's ribs to hold them while they healed.

For the next thirty minutes the room was filled with soft huffs of pained breath and murmured apologies, overwhelming sadness filling it to bursting point. It was like a bubble, stretching taut until it threatened to burst. Marley perched on the pillows at the head of the bed, face buried in her folded knees, tiny hands white-knuckled around the body of her bunny.

In the room next-door Emmett laid supine on his bed, arms crossed beneath his head, eyes locked on the ceiling in thought. He wouldn't be ashamed to admit it was Scarlett and Rosalie's scared faces haunting his restless sleep.


	5. Chapter Four

**~ oOo ~**

So I'm more than a little overwhelmed at the amazing reaction to this tale  
of mine so far! You've all sent such kind, supportive words, and I'm grateful  
for every single one of them! I'm loving your theories so please keep 'em coming!  
A few people are wondering where this is going, so let me just reassure you that  
I only write Happy Ever Afters, and though it'll be a slow burn, it will be an  
Edward and Isabella (or Scarlett in this case) fic in the end.

As you may have guessed, it's going to be a rough ride for our girls  
for a little while, but I promise from this chapter on you're going to start  
seeing a little light peeking into the tunnel! There are still a few bumps in the  
road, however, so hang tight.

I'd like to say a huge **thank you!** to SunflowerFran for her rec on her page!  
I appreciate your support more than you know, it really does mean a lot :)

 **Last thing**...from here on out I plan to update on **Mondays** and **Fridays**.

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Four**

"Oliver?" Her voice was a whisper in the darkness, but he heard. A slim figure left his cover beneath the trees to step out into the moonlit meadow where the young woman waited. His teeth glinted white in the pale light as he smiled sadly.

"It's true, isn't it?" Tears filled the woman's eyes when she nodded. She felt guilty for losing her composure, but her horror at the secrets they'd uncovered in the past two months pushed past her barriers. She'd learned more than they ever could have dreamed, more than they could have feared. Oliver was close to tears himself as he remembered an encounter with a frantic man a few days previous.

" _I need your help."_

 _Oliver lifted his head from the pillow upon which it had been resting, offering a tired smile to the man in the doorway._

" _C'mon in." The two men sat up on the bed, one wrought with nerves, the other perfectly calm, already knowing what this chat would be regarding._

 _The visitor's tirade erupted from between tightly pursed lips. "I've heard things. Seen things…you have weird calls all the time and I saw you going into the barn the other night." He turned piercing gray-blue eyes on Oliver. They were wary and accusing and hopeful all at once. "It was_ one a.m. _What were you doing out there?"_

 _Oliver weighed up his options. There was only so much he could say without breaching his orders, but looking at this desperate man he knew half-assed answers weren't going to cut it. "Would you believe me if I said it was an emergency call to a family member?"_

" _No," he scoffed, scowling. "You're not who you say you are, are you?"_

" _No, but that's not public knowledge, and I'd prefer it stayed that way."_

 _Immediately he knew Oliver was not a man to be messed with. The look in his eyes said everything he didn't need to vocalize. "Ok." He gulped, still staring at Oliver with apprehension written all over his face. "You've gotta help the girls. Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley…they're, well…shit."_

 _One strong, large hand reached up to tug at riotous blond hair before a long breath escaped him. Oliver held his breath, knowing this moment was pivotal. Something was about to change._

" _They're not his daughters. I don't know who they are or who he is…but he's not their dad. No way. He can't be."_

 _Oliver's stomach lurched, brain flying into action, because this man…he was the break in the case they'd been waiting for._

 _Somehow, he knew._

Back in the moonlit meadow the man and woman discussed their options. There were all-too-few with the shaky sources they'd been relying on thus far. They were told this mission would be a simple recon one – get in, get the evidence, get out. It hadn't been until a few weeks ago that Oliver realized there was a lot more to this ranch and its occupants than he, or any of his colleagues, previously thought. His eyes fell on the woman before him, her eyes filled to the brim with pained tears, her body trembling with the chill of their new knowledge, one word resonating far stronger than any other in their minds.

Abduction.

They'd been sent here to uncover a threat to unknown targets, not realizing all along they'd been living in much closer proximity to victims of the crime they were investigating than they could have guessed. Shrewd, trained eyes had failed, until recently, to catch the thinly veiled origin of the despair cloaking the waif-like young women on the ranch there in Montana. Oliver's focus hadn't been on the boss' daughters other than to determine that they weren't involved in any illegal activities. The past weeks had shown him there was a lot more to Scarlett and Rosalie than met the eye.

Once he'd assured himself and his superiors of the girls' innocence his focus had switched to the inordinately larger, and more dangerous, task ahead – gathering the evidence while maintaining their cover. Not once had he considered the idea that the girls could have a much more sinister past then just two girls raised by an absentee father on a ranch in the middle-of-nowhere, Montana. It hadn't occurred to him, or any of the other people involved in this mission, that they might be overlooking what could quite possibly be the ranch boss' most hideous transgression to date.

In the meadow, the sudden, too-loud ringing of Oliver's phone made him and his colleague jump. He quickly silenced it, raising the phone to his ear and pressing the flashing green button.

" _Newley. Anything new before I fill you in on the latest from our end?_ " A gruff voice barked.

At once, Oliver was torn. Nervous, because there was nothing cheerful about the voice in his ear. Excited, because it could be intelligence that would help them, help the case. He finally reasoned with himself that their increasing knowledge could do nothing but aid them. He sighed and shared a look with the woman in front of him.

"Yes, Sir," he admitted. "We've located another ranch close to the Montana-Wyoming border, smaller than this one." Oliver winced as a loud curse tore through the phone line from his boss, who was sitting in a darkened office almost two-thousand miles away. Both shadowed in the field could hear him anyway, so Oliver pulled the phone from his ear and hit the key to activate the loudspeaker option. "We wrote the details down we could get from the ranch hand who worked there, and I'll be faxing it to you in a few days if everything goes well."

He outlined his plan for the upcoming two weeks, making sure to include all of the details and that they were nailed down. It was a lesson he learned early on and rarely forgot.

The trio memorized the decided plan of action, Oliver explaining that he and a few of the other ranch hands would be travelling to the nearest airport in the city of Billings to pick up some new recruits for the ranch. Mr. Smith had suggested they stay in a hotel between the two arranged pick-up days a week apart, using the free time to get supplies they depleted during the winter.

Oliver wasn't on board at all with the idea of leaving his colleague behind, but as she frequently reminded him, she was capable of defending herself if she needed to and what she did wasn't down to him.

Speaking to the female scowling beside Oliver, their boss said, _"James, I trust that you'll be updating me daily while Newley is away?"_

Both occupants of the field understood that while their boss had phrased his words as a question, it was most definitely an order. With that in mind, however much she disagreed, James wasn't naïve enough to believe she'd get away with arguing. The duo's boss hummed when she acknowledged his order with a confirmation. _"Glad to hear it. Now, we've got a lead."_

Oliver's heart took off at a sprint in his chest, his stomach full of anxious anticipation. He normally loved this part of a case. The crux. The point at which the case hinged. He didn't feel that way this time. He was confused, and hopeful, and desperate for good information. If there was a lead it meant Emmett had to be right, on some level. A lead confirms what Oliver hadn't known to fear until recently.

The girls couldn't be who they claimed to be.

Oliver and James tensed, eyes wide and locked, with baited breath.

" _We did some digging in the missing person's records and came up with nothing."_ There were unhappy sighs at the news. _"However, we had a hit when we threw the net out further afield. England, specifically. Your source was correct, Newley. The girls are not in any way_ legally _connected to Garrett Smith."_

In the dark of night a lone cloud drifted across the inky sky as Oliver and James soaked up that piece of information. Pivotal, like Oliver suspected.

"England, you say? How did they get here if they've been reported missing?"

" _Involuntarily, I'd guess. At this point we haven't got anything concrete but we've found records of an Isabella Scarlett Swan and Rosalie Daisy Hale being reported missing on…February 7_ _th_ _, two-thousand-four."_

The date tumbled around Oliver's head. It took a few moments to sink in that not only was it looking as though Scarlett and Rosalie had a far stranger past than anybody thought, but that they weren't even sisters like they had people believe. It was a hard pill to swallow, standing in eerie silence two-hundred feet or so from the ranch house the 'family' was currently sleeping in.

"And the child? Marley?"

A sigh. _"We've got nothing. No reports matching the child's description here or England. We really need a picture to compare. DNA."_

"We'll do our best when we head to Billings, Sir. It's difficult to get a picture when she's always with Scarlett. And DNA…we'll give it a go."

" _Good. Without DNA or a picture at least we've got nothing to go on, nothing to compare. But judging from your description I can hazard a guess at where she came from, or who she belongs to partly, at least."_

Oliver winced. He'd had the conversation with his boss early on, describing the little girl. She had long, curly chocolate brown hair, was a tiny thing even for her age, which he'd put at around three or four years, and had the sweetest of features. Neither of the older girls had her shade of hair color, nor did they share her button nose or shape of her face.

But Scarlett did share her eye color. An unusual sea-blue-green, the likes of which Oliver had never seen before, couldn't be coincidental.

"What's the POA, Sir? This changes things."

" _We'll carry on as planned, at least until we've got confirmation of who these girls are. For all we know they're not Isabella Swan and Rosalie Hale. Until we know for sure I'm not going in all guns blazing. You hear me?"_

"Loud and clear, Sir."

" _Good."_

With the plan set in place, Oliver and James walked back to the house with knots in their stomachs and a renewed hope for their mission, which had seemed like it was coming to a standstill.

They were completely unaware of the blue-green eyes watching from the upstairs window.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Just there…that's it! You got it!" With a wide grin Rosalie found her heart thundering while Emmett caught her gaze to shoot a proud smile her way, his happy eyes dancing before returning to the guitar in her lap where her fingers strummed the melody almost easily. Emmett had decided to teach her John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads first because he thought it would be the easiest to learn, of course not realizing how close to home the song hit. It had taken a month but finally Rosalie had mastered it, playing all the way through without pause. The feeling of accomplishment surging through her body was foreign but totally welcomed.

"I'm doing it," she mumbled, cheeks aching with the strength of her smile. Scarlett laughed joyously from across the loft where she pushed Marley gently on the rope swing Emmett had constructed for her. Her ribs weren't healed just yet, so she winced with the movement, but they were getting there slowly. Laughing and sudden movements still hurt but she could lift Marley again, albeit carefully, and she wouldn't let the injury ruin this accomplishment for Rosalie. She refused to let the boss' cruelty override her pride.

"You're getting really good. Pretty soon you won't need me to teach you at all," Emmett teased, tossing a wink in Scarlett's direction when his praise made Rosalie's cheeks flame.

"Maybe you're exaggerating just a little."

Emmett couldn't help but chuckle as she stopped strumming to pinch two fingers together, leaving the tiniest gap she could without them touching. "All right, Missy. Unleashin' the sass, are we?"

Over the past few weeks the girls had been different. Not as tightly strung. After one of the rungs of a ladder broke with him on it almost two weeks ago he'd been confined to the house and the ground floor of the barn on light duties, ensuring he'd be well for the upcoming summer when he'd really be needed. The large wound on his leg was healing far slower than he or the boss would've liked, but Emmett wasn't worried. He wasn't bothered in the least that it meant he wouldn't be able to go on the supply run. In fact, he was pleased to be staying behind. It meant he'd have unfettered time with the girls while both Mr. Smith and his wife were away in New York. Looking at them then, Scarlett smiling as she whispered to Marley on the swing, Rosalie basking in the warmth of her accomplishment, it was almost impossible to comprehend that they spent so much time hiding from the world.

Someone who hadn't see it wouldn't believe it, Emmett mused, reaching up to ruffle his hair while leaning back on the other to watch his favorite girls smile.

 **~ oOo ~**

Outside the wind howled, the odd spatter of rain splashing the windows of the ranch house. In the field the horses spooked easily, a jet black stallion galloping gaily with his tail streaming like a banner in his wake.

Inside, in the kitchen doorway, Paul leaned. His arms were crossed over his chest, mouth pulled downwards in a frustrated scowl. "Did he say why?"

Lola rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Does he ever? No. He came in and said we all have to go. Apparently he's taking the family on holiday." She shrugged, rearranging her ponytail into a loose bun. "I thought the girls were staying behind but I guess not."

Paul saw the worry in Lola's eyes. He didn't know her well enough to ask about it, but he desperately wanted to. His lack of confidence around her was new and unusual. He didn't like it.

"Is there anyone else staying behind?" He asked instead.

"Nope, don't think so. Maybe Emmett." Lola popped the 'p' in 'nope', wrangling a little cheer into her voice before turning to get started on the washing up. She knew Scarlett and Rosalie were out helping Emmett in the barn with the horses, so they wouldn't be back inside until whenever they were bedding down for the night. Lola knew from experience that they'd spend the evening out there and come in when they wanted to shower before bed. She liked that they were spending more time outside, even if it was just to the barn, but she felt their absence strongly.

"Are you going to help me or are you just going to stand there and watch me do all the work?"

Paul's slackened jaw brought laughter bubbling up from Lola's stomach, ending with her clutching at her mid-section with giggles shaking her frame. For a few long moments he watched on in wry amusement, shaking his head while admitting that perhaps she wasn't as annoying as he first thought. Once her giggles had tapered out he stepped into the kitchen and picked up a dish towel so he could get to work.

They didn't leave the room until forty minutes later when Rosalie, Scarlett, Emmett, and Marley trooped in with muffled laughter alerting them to their arrival. It was quickly followed by footsteps on the stairs, and their quiet 'goodnight's as they headed up to their rooms.

Despite the strangely upbeat mood surrounding them, Paul and Lola couldn't help but feel this was the calm before the storm.

"Monkeys."

"Bananas?"

"Yep, that goes. Um, strawberries."

"Hmm…chocolate."

"Chocolate dipped strawberries."

Two stomachs grumbled loudly. The girls they belonged to snickered noiselessly so they wouldn't wake Marley, sleeping soundly curled into Scarlett's side. Rosalie rolled her head on the pillow to smile wistfully at Scarlett.

"I miss chocolate dipped strawberries, Barley."

"Me too, Ro, me too." Scarlett sighed. The use of both her childhood nickname and the reference to their favorite childhood snack made her stomach twist unpleasantly. It had been a good day. _Too_ good. The boss had arrived back from his trip earlier in the evening, thankfully spending the entire night in his study – alone.

By then, with the sun sinking towards the horizon, the girls found themselves at a loss for things to do. If it weren't for Emmett's pain medicine making him too tired to stay up any longer they'd still have been out there, strumming away and starting on the next song.

It was ironic, Rosalie thought, that Emmett had hit on the one song that perfectly outlined their plight.

 _Take me home, country roads…_ she pleaded, glancing out of the curtain-less window to her right, the rain pattering against the glass. A soft, rueful smile overtook her face when her eyes fell upon the hayloft she, Scarlett, Emmett, and Marley had been sitting in just a short while before. It had become a haven of sorts. It was somewhere they could go once their chores were done and know they wouldn't be disturbed or have to listen to the men being rowdy in the house, or the boss stomping around.

Not that he'd been around a lot recently. To everyone's relief he'd been away until earlier that day, so no new injuries were displayed on Scarlett's faintly tanned skin, and her old bruises had been left to heal – slowly.

"I'm going to get a drink. You want one?" Scarlett muttered a while later, sliding off the bed carefully before heading for the locked door to their room. She zipped her black jacket to the base of her throat, glancing back at Rosalie. She shook her head, so Scarlett let herself out of the room, closing the door behind her with a quiet click and padding downstairs on feet as silent as a mouse. As she passed by the big window beside the front door she paused to take in the peaceful night. In the glow of the moon the track leading away from the ranch looked effervescent. Oh-so-enticing. The bolt of longing slicing through Scarlett as her eyes remained glued to the farthest part of the track she could see was as familiar as the dry heat that plagued Montana in the summer, as familiar as the quiet ease with which she and Rosalie willed away their days. It was as familiar as the pain they felt when they thought of their much-missed familiar, which admittedly wasn't all that often for fear of spiraling into the depression lingering in the wings like a dog waiting for a bone.

" _No!"_

An angry yell made Scarlett jump. She yelped, leaping away from the window. Landing awkwardly on her left foot resulted in a twisted ankle and a sudden, sharp pain rippling up her leg.

" _I won't let them get away with everything I've worked so hard for. If they go they'll blow it all to shit."_

With a sort of sick fascination, Scarlett shoved the pain in her foot to the back of her mind, something she'd become adept at doing, edging closer to the hallway she shuddered to even think of. At the end of the hall was the study. The boss was in there, yelling at someone. It went against every instinct she had to stop herself getting as far from the study as possible. But she ignored the urge to scarper, pushing forwards.

Her heart lurched when his tirade continued, voice booming as usual.

" _No, Remi, it's not happening! I've spent my whole life working for this family and I won't let two spoilt brats ruin it by running off! Security here is tighter than ever, there's no way they'll get off this ranch without my say-so. I'd kill them both, and the brat, before I let them get away."_

Scarlett's lungs constricted. "Is he…" she whispered, already knowing in her heart of hearts that he was referring to her and Rosalie. And he called Marley 'the brat'…It could only be them.

Of course they'd always known the security was tight, though hearing it and thinking it were two completely different things. Just small things like the distance between the ranch and the nearest city – Billings, according to the ranch hands making the supply run -, the way there were no electronic devices allowed anywhere near the girls, and no money left lying around except the occasional few coins here or there made it very clear that there was no way for the girls to get off the ranch by themselves. They were trapped. And even if they had tried to make their escape on foot? There were cameras stationed outside the ranch house, and on the exterior walls of the barn. Scarlett knew the boss had screens in his study, she'd spent a lot of time in there after all, so it was highly likely he had them elsewhere too. He always kept his cell with him so Scarlett was fairly certain the cameras were hooked up to it so he could monitor the comings and goings of the ranch even while he was away.

Scenarios began to fly through Scarlett's mind, her heart racing, stomach churning. She felt the bile working its way up her esophagus.

He was never going to let them get away. Not ever.

It felt as though someone had simultaneously poured a bucket of ice cold water over her then stabbed her in the gut.

Nausea gripped her in its tight fist. Tears sprang to stormy ocean-tinted eyes, prickling hotly. All Scarlett could think of was Rosalie and Marley, laying upstairs with no inkling of the realization she'd just come to.

When the clock struck ten there was only the sound of Scarlett's pained whimper to be heart in the entire house. Whoever the boss had been yelling at had apparently hung up, because even he'd gone quiet. Battling shivers that wracked her entire body, Scarlett clung to the wooden railing on the stairs and used it to make it to the bedroom. When she burst in it was to the sight of Rosalie and Marley fast asleep side-by-side, their arms entwined, hair a mish-mash of red-blonde and chocolate, chests rising in synchronization with their breaths.

The sound of their breathing usually soothed Scarlett yet her heart thundered away without reprieve. Her eyes flitted anxiously around the room, returning to Rosalie and Marley every few seconds before finally finding the bright moon outside. From her side of the glass everything suddenly seemed even more tainted than before.

The old wooden dresser standing sternly opposite the bed with twelve scratches carved into the base was particularly painful to look at. Each scratch represented a year of captivity.

Over the ringing in her ears Scarlett heard heavy, booted footsteps clomping up the stairs. She darted back to the door to hastily shove one of the smaller dressers in front of it before using the key to make sure it was locked. With baited breath, she waited, stock-still, for the boss to pass the room on the way to his own further down the hall. Her body was a giant knot of fear when there was an audible pause in his gait.

Right. Outside. The door.

The steps resumed a second later, but to Scarlett, it felt like a lifetime.

She breathed long and low, a relieved sigh if ever she'd heard one. For a horrifying moment she'd thought he'd heard her downstairs and had come to deliver her punishment. There was a doubt in her mind that if he _did_ discover she'd been eavesdropping she'd likely not have escaped an encounter with his study unscathed.

The thought chilled her to the bone.

The night passed with excruciating hesitation. It was almost as if it knew the dawning day, which bore a significance Scarlett solidly ignored each and every year, would bring turmoil.

Scarlett paced, restless.

Rosalie's sleep was fitful. Perhaps she sensed Scarlett's anxiety even while she herself was unconscious.

Marley fidgeted, not quite waking but alarming Scarlett every hour or so with keening cries that tapered off with a stroke of her soft hair.

On the other side of the wall Emmett barely managed to get a couple hours sleep. Not only was his injured leg bothering him, the other ranch hands had all set off on their supply run so he was struggling to adjust to the unsettling quiet. The silence was loud without Jesse's bear-like snoring, or Paul's fidgeting.

Even the horses out in the barn were skittish, spooking at every sound. Charlie and Violet hissed at one another before stalking off into the pale dawn, long, feline tails swishing angrily.

And in the master bedroom, Mr. Smith slept peacefully, completely unaware that it would be the last time.

A new dawn was breaking, for all of them.


	6. Chapter Five

**~ oOo ~**

So I officially suck at schedules - here's a new chapter, almost two whole  
days early. I've had a great day with my spotty puppy and I'm in too good  
a mood to hold out on you, especially as you've all been so nice and wonderful  
to me since I started posting this little tale of mine!

Thank you again to everyone who is taking the time to read and review!  
And a special thanks to those who have deemed this story worthy of recommendations  
on your various platforms. It truly means so much to me.

 **PS** I'm still aiming for a Friday update as well as this one :) Let's just call this a bonus LOL

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Five**

Rosalie hummed, stretching out like a cat with her arms overhead, toes pointed beneath the cover. The cool air in the room chilled her feet when they slipped from the protection of the duvet, so she quickly tucked them back under. With a huff of sleepy annoyance she turned her head on the pillow, blinking her eyes into focus so she could see if Scarlett was awake yet. She was very aware the day would be difficult for her even though she'd always acted as though the date held no significance, as though it weren't her beloved dad's birthday.

But she wasn't there.

"Scarlett?" Something akin to fear snaked into her gut as Rosalie shot upright, looking around for Scarlett only to finally spot her leaning against the wall across the room, eyes staring blankly out of the window, Marley draped over her chest with her bunny squashed between their bodies. "Scarlett, are you ok?"

Her question still unanswered, she clambered unsteadily from the bed, having to untangle her feet from the covers before she could reach her. Assuming something outside had unsettled her, she followed Scarlett's unseeing gaze, eyeing the barn lit up by early morning light. The snow was finally all gone, the clouds drifting off towards the mountains while the first rays of sun started to shine upon the ranch. There was a definite air of spring outside.

Inside, however, the air was practically vibrating with nervous energy. It set Rosalie on edge as she waited for Scarlett to show some sign of acknowledgement. She was scaring her.

"Are you ready?"

Rosalie's eyes widened at the sound of Scarlett's scratchy voice. She gulped.

"Rosalie, are you ready?"

Their heartbeats seemed to bounce around the room, loud and quick, their breaths shallow as the words sank in, took root.

"It's time," Scarlett added. The double meaning of the statement wasn't lost on either of them. Bright shafts of light filtered through the naked panes on Scarlett and Rosalie, their eyes meeting. Rosalie's were rapidly filling with tears she couldn't control. They were more hopeful than they'd ever been. Never had Rosalie ever wanted to read Scarlett's mind as much as she did in that moment. The moment she'd been waiting for Scarlett to initiate, because she wasn't brave enough.

 _Are you ready?_

The words thundered around Rosalie's head without reprieve. Was she ready? How could she tell? And if she wasn't ready, should she say so?

Rosalie didn't think so. She sucked in a breath. "Y-yes. I'm ready."

Scarlett nodded, breathing deeply. "You pack up the essentials, I'm gonna get a few things from downstairs. I'll be as quick as I can. Don't leave this room until I come for you, ok?"

Within minutes of waking Rosalie found herself in an alternate reality. One in which she was getting the thing she most longed for.

Escape.

It was a word she and Scarlett\ had never allowed themselves to dwell on, so when Scarlett carefully transferred a still-sleeping Marley to her arms, Rosalie felt the adrenaline kick in.

With not a second to waste she laid Marley on the bed, changed out of her pajamas into a pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt, then pulled two old duffel bags from beneath the bed to fill with things they might need. Underwear, a few t-shirts and jeans, toiletries. Marley's tatty blanket, and a couple of hand towels so they'd have something, even they were small, to dry themselves with.

In her haste to get dressed she spotted a glinting silver locket atop the cabinet. With teary eyes and shaky hands she clasped it around her neck before hurrying around the room so that when Scarlett returned in a few minutes, they'd be ready to go. Despite not having a clue what she had planned, Rosalie trusted Scarlett implicitly, and after years of imagining this day she was adamant it wouldn't be through any fault of hers they were delayed.

Downstairs, Scarlett took a steadying breath before using the pilfered spare key to unlock the heavy black door to the forbidden room. The study.

The dark, wood-paneled walls held secrets and horrific memories. On the coffee table in the center of the room sat a half-empty bottle of amber liquid, an empty glass on its side inches away. Scarlett spotted an open notebook there too, but that wasn't her goal.

Her goal was the large desk on the other side of the burgundy leather sofa.

Her feet carried her with feline grace to the rear where the drawers were located. It was then that she really saw how sure of himself he was. The drawers were unlocked. Clearly he believed the locked study door was all the deterrent needed. For others, maybe it would've been. But for Scarlett this was her chance. Perhaps her only chance. She'd watched him drive away in his four-by-four an hour before, so she was well aware it was a now or never situation.

If he checked his cameras and there happened to be one in the study, if he caught her snooping…God only knew what he'd do to her. It didn't bear thinking about.

Only a miracle would save her.

Heart pounding, her mouth dry, Scarlett rummaged frantically through the papers littering the top of the desk as well as the drawers beneath. The task was harder than it could've been because she didn't know what, exactly, to look for. Some proof that she and Rosalie weren't his? A photo? A letter? Anything. It was all she allowed herself to hope for.

"Come on, come on, come on…" she breathed, slamming yet another drawer shut after a fruitless search.

About ready to give up and just take their chances running, she glanced up. A wayward beam of reflected light caught her eye. It looked like the latch of a box, but it was partially hidden by a book so she couldn't quite tell. A quick check of the keyring on the desk later had Scarlett stunned at his audacity. Resting innocently beside the key to the study itself was a tiny silver key, most likely a key to a safety deposit box or something similar. Inhaling, Scarlett stepped around the desk, reaching above her head for the wooden box to pull it down. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she slid the key into the slot, twisting it on an exhale that physically hurt. The muted click made her stomach churn.

Something about this box gave her chills. She had a feeling about it, and it wasn't at all pleasant.

None of that mattered a few seconds later. As soon as Scarlett lifted the lid all her breath rushed from her lungs. It was everything she could've wished for. Staring back at her with wide, smiling eyes was the photo of her, Rosalie, and Archie that was used in the campaign to find them. Beneath it were paper clippings, snapshots printed from the computer that had clearly been taken from newspaper websites, a wrinkled copy of the 'MISSING' poster that littered Sussex for months after the girls' disappearance, and a couple of blank CD cases with discs inside.

The sight made Scarlett's eyes fill with angry tears. All these years he'd been more than aware of what he'd been doing to them, and to their familiar. Yet he'd kept them apart. Kept them imprisoned. It lit a hateful match in her heart. One which could never be extinguished.

Abruptly Scarlett was furious with everything. The situation, _him_ , and the authorities for not being able to find them. Everyone else for believing his lies. Her stomach rolled with nausea. Pain threatened to overtake her rational mind. Fear, betrayal, and agonizing fury worked together to pull her apart surprisingly effectively.

Then, she heard Rosalie's cries in her mind. Heard her sobbing for the loss of their homes, their families and friends, and she knew she had to hold herself together for just a short while longer. Just until they were out of here. Until they were _free_. Freedom was something Marley had never felt. She'd never experienced absolute freedom, the ability to be spoilt and cherished, to have cuddles with her family. To go to nursery, visit the park, feel the wind in her hair when she got to experience a swing for the first time. She'd had none of that.

But she would. Scarlett was determined to give her all that and more.

Forcing her body upright, she removed the contents of the box, swiping a plastic folder from another shelf before tucking the papers inside and sliding it into the front of her trousers beneath her jumper so she'd still be able to use her hands. After shoving the box back into place she grabbed the keys, and prepared to leave.

A dark, intimidating figure stopped her in her tracks.

"And where do you think _you_ are going?"

 _No! No, not him, not now._

Scarlett's breath began coming in quick, quiet but harsh pants. She didn't hear his truck. Surely she should have? A lightning-fast glance out of the window showed the vehicle parked right out in the distance, a tiny dot on the horizon just before the bend in the hills that lead to the open road she craved.

"Answer me!" He bellowed.

Scarlett jumped. Steeled for a fight, the faces of her girls at the front of her mind, for the first time in twelve years, she made herself breathe deeply so she wouldn't pass out, forcing her body into a rigid stance that wouldn't totally give away her terror.

Garrett Smith stood in the doorway, thick arms crossed over a broad chest, feet set shoulder-width apart while one dark gray brow lifted slightly. It might have been a conscious movement, or it might have been involuntary. Scarlett didn't know. And to be honest, she didn't care.

The vein in his neck twitched ominously. "Well?" He snarled.

"Get out of my way."

"Excuse me?"

"I said," Scarlett heaved in a panicky lungful of hair, " _get out of my way_. This is over."

Adrenaline, anger, and a shot of much-needed courage shot through her veins, fighting back the fear snapping at her heels. This stance, his body the way it was in that exact moment, was sickeningly familiar. The sight of his hand rhythmically clenching and unclenching against his arm set her teeth on edge. The fine hairs at the back of Scarlett's neck stood on end. She struggled valiantly to keep her eyes locked with his small, ice-cold hazel ones. There was no warmth there. Just his selfish need to be in control. To be feared.

To own.

Two hearts raced, but for very different reasons.

"And _who_ says it's over, _Scarlett_?" An icy fist squeezed her chest. He took a step forward. "The way I see it, you're still the same child you were twelve years ago. Weak."

Another step.

"Pathetic."

Another.

" _Useless_."

He hit on every self-criticism she'd ever had. It always killed Scarlett that she hadn't been able to protect herself and Rosalie all those years ago. A little voice in the back of her head insisted _you were eight years old, defenseless children. That's why he chose you._

His thin lips pulled upwards into an evil sneer. "You and Rosalie aren't going anywhere, and you know it."

It didn't escape her notice that he didn't mention Marley. He rarely did, though. He didn't acknowledge her existence if he didn't have to.

"We're leaving. Y-you can't stop us."

"On the contrary, I can."

He was just a few feet away, now. Close enough for her to feel the faint wisps of his breath as he battled to keep his tone in check, not knowing where Emmett might be. "What makes you think I'd let you go now, huh? Why would I after everything I've done for you two ungrateful _brats_?"

"Done for us? Are you _crazy_?"

Years of pent up emotion came tumbling from Scarlett's mouth.

"You _kidnapped_ us! You bundled us in the back of a truck and took us away from our family, our friends! _Hell_ , away from England! You expect us to be grateful? Get real, jackass."

Idly, Scarlett considered that if this were a cartoon, which it unfortunately wasn't, there would've been steam coming from _his_ ears. As it was, his eyes widened in time with his flaring nostrils in a way oddly reminiscent of a bull about to charge. Scarlett utilized the burst of bravery she'd been given to continue, maybe foolishly.

"For _twelve goddamn years_ you've kept us trapped out in the middle of nowhere as your slaves. The only reason we even know where we are is because the guys talk about it sometimes. You just bring these random men out here and don't even—" The thoughts that overtake Scarlett's mind stop her. She chokes on her words, swallowing hard. "You don't even care what they do here. You're an evil, vindictive, psychotic _asshole_ and I can't wait to see you get your—"

Before she could say another word, he was upon her. With one hand he gripped her shoulder, the other clasping the base of her neck. She cried out when her back hit the wall but the little breath in her lungs was expelled by the force with which she was slammed backwards.

"Enough out of you! Enough!" He growled. "You don't know a thing! _Nothing_!"

Whether it was bravery or stupidity Scarlett didn't know, but she managed to choke out "why?" He loosened his grip with the expression of a man who'd been struck, allowing her to suck in a small amount of air. Broken, painful breaths rasped through her lips as she inhaled greedily, eyes watering, throat burning. His mood-swings had always given her whiplash, but this was something else. The man towering over her stared, but he didn't move either of his hands. For an eternity the only sound in the room was Scarlett's coughing.

"He stole her from me, you know." This was said in a strange tone. Eerily soft. Dangerously upbeat.

Wide, terrified blue-green eyes flicked upwards for a second as she clutched at the grip around her throat. "Who?"

Even in the state she was in Scarlett had the wherewithal to try to understand, to find out as much as possible. _In case I get away alive,_ she thought with determination, keeping Rosalie and Marley at the forefront of her mind. They were her reason for carrying on, for pushing through the agony of his beatings. Every day had been a battle but for Rosalie, her best friend, and Marley, sweet, innocent little Marley, she'd do anything.

"Penelope Wallis." Hazel eyes met Scarlett's shocked gaze for a beat. "Your mother," he added as though she might not recognize her dead mother's name. Still unable to speak above a whisper, she didn't even try, simply staring at him with a knot in her brow.

 _Mum?_ She thought with panic. _He knew her?_

"She was the most beautiful woman in the whole world, I was sure of it."

Scarlett had become increasingly suspicious of his mental health over the years. He'd lost it, she realized as he gazed unseeingly at her face. Vaguely, she fathomed that he probably never 'had it' in the first place.

"She was _mine_." A rumbling, animalistic growl reverberated in his chest. Scarlett's heart skipped a beat at the sound, at the possessiveness saturating his tone. "If it hadn't been for _James_ she'd have been mine. He didn't give anyone a chance at school a chance to get her. Didn't give _me_ a chance."

The venom in his voice was new. She was so used to his anger that never before had she found the courage to see the jealousy in his eyes, in his words. It was so obvious when she looked for it.

"She was supposed to be _my_ wife. _You_ were supposed to be _my_ daughter. Mine!"

"No…" Scarlett breathed, suddenly seeing the reason for all this. For the ranch, their kidnap, the pain she'd watched Rosalie suffer with, and the caged life Marley had experienced in her few short years of life. The reason for it all?

Garrett was _jealous_.

The past twelve years were a result of a lifelong, one-sided vendetta because her dad won her mum's heart. All of this…the agony and the heartache, it was a schoolyard battle gone wrong.

A hysterical snort burst from her lips, causing hazel eyes to flip instantaneously from unseeing to alert, locked onto hers like a ball and chain.

"It's all _his fault_!" He roared, grasping Scarlett's jacket to better pin her against the wall. Fury reignited, the flush of anger spreading in a bloody hue across his lightly tanned and sparsely wrinkled face. The air flooded from Scarlett's body in one long _whoosh_ , bathing his face and rustling the greasy gray strands either side of his head.

An explosion of tears streamed down Scarlett's cheeks, wild blonde curls sticking to them. Looking at him now through blurred eyes, seeing the craziness in his gaze up close with his shaking hands wrapped tight around her neck, Scarlett realized that she, Rosalie, and Marley had never really stood a chance.

He'd snapped a long time ago.

The last thought to grace her mind before blackness enveloped her into its welcoming embrace was of her dad's face as she mouthed a silent, "happy birthday, Daddy."

 **~ oOo ~**

Rosalie was panicking. She was growing desperate at Scarlett's prolonged absence, and Marley had woken up after a nightmare expecting to be able to snuggle Scarlett, so she was upset to say the least. Rosalie had seen the truck in the distance but not Garrett walking back, so she hadn't known to warn Scarlett.

A low whine in the back of Marley's throat had Rosalie spinning halfway through the circuit she was pacing. She forced a shaky smile, crouching in front of the doe-eyed little girl perched on the end of the bed. "It's ok, Marley moo, Scarlett will be back for us any minute, and then we're going to go on a little trip. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Marley shook her head vehemently side-to-side, big eyes wide and fearful. The sight made Rosalie grimace as she reached out to pull Marley against her chest. The child snuggled into her, reaching back for her beloved Mister Eddie.

"Marley moo, I know you've only ever lived here, but there's a big wide world for us to explore together, ok? And we're finally going to show you it. We're going to go on an adventure, wouldn't you like that? There's lots to see and do, lot more people. Nice people, like Emmett. You like Emmett, right?"

Marley nodded against Rosalie's shoulder, earning a smile.

"So there's lots more nice people like Emmett for you to meet, and all kinds of amazing things for you to do and see. We've just got to wait for Scarlett to come back, then we're gonna go, all right?"

With a heavy sigh, Marley nodded once more, settling down against Rosalie with her arms wound tight around the older girl's neck, small body tense but more relaxed than she had been.

Rosalie wished she could say the same. Waiting anxiously for Scarlett, she was more tense than she'd ever been.

After another twenty minutes of pacing she'd had enough. She managed to loop the two duffels over her arm, carrying them and Marley down the stairs on feather-light feet. She faced a conundrum then. Should she carry Marley with her, not knowing what she might come across? Or try to leave her in a safe spot?

Marley made up her own mind, as it turned out. Rosalie had barely taken a step towards the hall she never ventured down when Marley began to squirm and wriggle to get down. Hesitating, Rosalie scanned the area desperately, huffing when she spotted it. In the foyer there was a cupboard, small but perfect – if Marley would let Rosalie make use of it. She walked closer, pulling her head back to look Marley in the eye. She stared at her, confused and not at all happy about being downstairs without Scarlett.

"Ok Marley, I need you to stay right here for a minute. I'll be back for you really soon, I promise."

Marley whimpered, clutching her bunny tighter.

"You hold onto Mister Eddie and I'll be back before you know it."

Rosalie hated to do it, but she shoved the shoes in the cupboard to one side, settling Marley in the new space with her bunny before running a hand over her head. Scarlett had plaited it the night before, so it hung in loose curls down her back and over her shoulders. She looked adorable. Terrified, but adorable.

"I love you, Marley moo. Stay right here, all right?"

Marley nodded, squeezing her toy and shuffling backwards a few inches as Rosalie pushed the door to, making sure to leave it open a few inches so light could still get inside. Then, she mustered up all the courage she could and edged down the hall towards the study. When Scarlett told her that she needed a few things Rosalie assumed paperwork was what she meant and was confused about how she would get into the study in the first place, as it was always kept locked. However, she was also under no illusions that Scarlett could do whatever she wanted if she set her mind to it. That's just the sort of person she'd always been – a fixer.

A sudden, muffled yell made Rosalie's entire body lock into place. She took a hesitant step closer to the door so she could see inside. In all her life Rosalie had never seen anything so disturbing as the sight that greeted her when she peeked around the doorframe.

Garrett had Scarlett pinned against the wall, his hands holding her there by the neck, heaving breaths overpowering her small cries. The air was thick with tension, fog-like and growing considerably more unbearable as the life poured from Scarlett's body.

Rosalie pressed her shaking form to the wall, forced to admit Garrett was more out of control than she'd thought. It killed her a little to think that maybe Scarlett _had_ known, but hadn't told her. Rosalie's mind whirred with the thoughts and things she'd seen or heard that made it impossible for her to know what to do. It was always Scarlett who saved them from situations like this. She always stopped conflicts before they could escalate and reach Rosalie, especially when it came to their kidnpper.

Panic-stricken baby-blue eyes searched the hallway in desperation, hunting for anything that ould get them out of this mess.

Time was running out.

Sitting innocently on a cabinet shelf a few feet away was a golden statue, its metal dimmed by years of sitting in a darkened hallway without care or attention. Rosalie's eyes swept over it but reversed, the answer to their prayers coming to her in a flash of clarity. She scoffed internally when reaching up with an unsteady hand to pull it down. The dusty statue was clearly meant to be a likeness of Garrett. In her small hand, she gripped it tight. Tight enough to create indentations in her palm but not enough to detract from her determination to do what had to be done.

Her tattered black trainers were silent as she crept into the study for the first time. Her eyes were set unwaveringly on the broad shoulders of Garrett Smit, the man who stole her and Scarlett from everything they'd ever known.

Garrett Smith, the evil creature who had tormented her strong, brave, resilient Scarlett for almost as long as Rosalie could remember.

Garrett Smith, the vile excuse for a human being who deserved to pay dearly for what he'd done to the once happy-go-lucky best friend she'd always thought of as a sister.

Garrett Smith…the man who was about to get his long-overdue comeuppance.

A loose floorboard creaked loudly when Rosalie's toes pressed it. Her breath hitched. _He_ began to turn, his grip on Scarlett shifting just enough for her to inhale a shallow breath. Rosalie noted with a pang of distress that Scarlett had slipped into unconsciousness.

The inhuman snarl on Garrett's face when his profile came into view was the last straw.

Summoning every bit of strength in her petite body, she swung the statue through the air with all her might. The impact of the metal hitting his skull was stomach-churning, the force shaking Rosalie to her core. The lump of metal fell from her trembling hand, hitting the floor with a clang just feet away from the prone body at her feet leaking blood from a gash at the temple of his head.

Scarlett fell to the ground beside him, the lack of her breathing the only thing capable of diverting Rosalie's attention.

"Scarlett! Scarlett, wake up!" Rosalie sobbed over Scarlett's body, sinking to the floor. She pulled her shoulders in a weak attempt to sit her up. With the way her body was, slimmer than it should've been, it would be impossible for her to move Scarlett by herself. With freedom so close, almost close enough to touch, Rosalie had no option but to consider getting help from the only other conscious adult on the ranch.

Emmett.

Another sharp, choked breath from Scarlett's lips was all it took to make Rosalie's mind up. She gently placed her head on a cushion from the sofa before leaping up to run towards the front door. The thump of it banging against the wall when she threw it open was audible out in the barn where Emmett was busily rearranging the hay stores.

Rosalie skid into the barn seconds later, wide-eyed and snow-white, sliding on the damp floor right into Emmett's arms. Inhaling sharply with embarrassment and a little fear, she clamped her eyes shut. Even though the pair, along with Scarlett, had established a good friendship over the past month or so, the unexpected touch set her nerves on edge.

"Sorry," he mumbled once he was sure she was steady on her feet. Emmett peered down at her worriedly, his curiosity and fear spiked by her sudden entrance. The worry was only made worse when Scarlett didn't appear behind her, like usual. The young man's chest ached with sorrow as he silently urged her to get herself together at least enough to explain what was wrong. His hands itched to reach up and smooth away the tears staining her pallid cheeks.

"I need your help," she eventually choked.

Emmett's eyes widened. She never asked for help.

"Garrett-was-holding-Scarlett-by-the-throat-so-I-hit-him-and-I-think-he's-dead-and-Scarlett-needs-help!"

Stunned silence followed Rosalie's hastily blurted statement. She exhaled a heavy breath, unable to look at Emmett at all, instead focusing her eyes on a saddle resting on a stand behind him. Emmett simple took a few long seconds to soak up what she'd said, his heart racing a mile a minute. His eyes cast around as though checking for eavesdroppers before he remembered there wasn't anybody around. Emmett handed her a clean handkerchief from his pocket, then sighed.

"Ok, I need you to try to calm down. Breath. Go sit in the hayloft where we hide the guitars." He spoke softly but firmly, not allowing for any misinterpretation on her part even though he wanted to scream and yell at himself for not doing something sooner, guilt twisting his stomach. "Wait, where's Marley?"

Rosalie's cheeks flushed pink. "She's in the cupboard in the hall. I need to go get her."

"Ok, get Marley, then come back here and wait for me. Look at me, Rosalie." Their eyes locked. "Take these."

Emmett handed her a bunch of keys. "Don't use them yet, I'll be right back for you and Marley. What have you got to do, Rosalie?"

She stood stock-still, overwhelmed. It wasn't even eight a.m.

"Take the keys, get Marley, don't use them. Go to the hayloft. Don't move 'til you come back."

"Good. Anything else you need to grab?"

Rosalie nodded wearily. "A couple bags, I'll get them. Scarlett's in the s-study."

Needing a distraction, Rosalie glanced down, catching sight of Emmett's leg. The bandage beneath his loose-fitting jeans made the injury location easy to spot – she hoped it wouldn't hinder him. Seeing where her worried eyes had wandered, he assured her he'd be ok before ushering her towards the house so she could fetch Marley. Only once he'd watched her lift Marley from the cupboard, and helped load her up with their two duffels, did he make his way down the hall to the study, leaving Rosalie in the barn to soothe a very upset little girl.

Tears soaked Rosalie's already-streaked cheeks as she rocked her body side-to-side in an attempt to comfort herself as well as Marley. Her body ached, her heart hurting with the knowledge of how badly this morning had gone, and how hopeless their situation suddenly seemed. With only one ending to this mess seeming likely she couldn't help but feel the hope leaking from her into the hay below.


	7. Chapter Six

**~ oOo ~**

Um, so, it's Friday somewhere, right?  
*hides because I'm a fail at  
keeping to a schedule when I hate cliffies even when I  
know what's going to happen*

So...here we are again. I'm honestly humbled by the reaction to this,  
I don't want to sound like a broken record but thank you all  
from the bottom of my heart for your amazing, kind words!

I'm not sure if it's a me-issue or a FF-issue, but some reviews  
have been coming up on the site and some have just been coming  
through to my email, so I can't reply.

 **LizziePaige -** I hope you managed to catch your breath! All of  
your other questions will be answered in this chapter or the next, I think.

 **Biblepam -** I love that Scarlett stood up to him, too! I think it needed  
to happen, and I think Rosalie needed to see that she _could_ be brave,  
when it was needed.

 **MIRosebud -** Thank you! I hope everything came across as I intended  
it too. Everything will be revealed as to Marley's origins, I promise.

 **And to** **everybody else** , those of you who thanked me for updating  
or complimented my writing, **THANK YOU** for taking the time  
to both read and review. It means the world to me.

Anyway, enough outta me, I know you're not really interested  
in what I've got to say after that cliffie ;)

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Six**

When he reached the study, Emmett had to force down bile and tears as he carefully attempted to manoeuver Scarlett off the floor into his arms, ignoring the prone body of the boss.

 _He doesn't deserve my time,_ he decided, shifting Scarlett against his chest and rising slowly to his feet. The first thought to come to mind was that she was far too thin, scarily so, even if she was only a few inches over five feet tall. Emmett's leg injury protested a little, but he shoved it to the back of his mind, concentrating on getting Scarlett out of there and praying if he wasn't dead that the boss at least stayed down long enough for him to get the girls away from the ranch. Not that it looked as though he'd be moving anytime soon.

After shifting Scarlett as much as possible without jostling her too much, he loped through the open front door towards the barn. When he got there, he glanced around, almost smiling when he realized Rosalie had listened.

"Rosalie! It's me, Emmett! You can come down!" He whisper-yelled. A long sigh escaped him when she appeared a few seconds later, climbing down the ladder slowly with Marley wrapped around her back. Laying Scarlett on a hay bale, he helped Rosalie with the last few rungs, asking for the keys with as even a tone as he could manage. It was difficult for him to keep calm, rising panic and concern for the girls forcing him to try not to talk. He was increasingly afraid that if he opened his mouth he'd let loose the anger bubbling within him. None of the girls needed to see that.

Rosalie watched him with wide, wet eyes as he grabbed the bags and jogged outside. His gait faltered, pain lancing up his leg, but he pushed on without pause, not noticing Rosalie's worried look at his back as he went. When he reappeared a minute or two later she was murmuring reassurances to Marley, her little body glued to Rosalie's chest. His lips twitched upwards into a tiny smile when he laid eyes on the bunny she was white-knuckling. He'd brought it back with him from a supply run shortly after her arrival at the ranch, and she'd never let it go since.

"You need to get going."

Rosalie's thoughts mirrored the pain on his face. ' _You guys'…not 'we'._

"You're not coming?" She whispered, already knowing the answer. It was in his eyes, on his face he wasn't going with her. And yet, if the boss _did_ wake up, and Rosalie wasn't at all sure he would, Emmett would be the one in trouble. Rosalie couldn't leave him behind knowing that.

Emmett tried and failed to hide his sadness. "I need to stay. Believe me, I wish I could come, but I'm more use to you if I stay and deal with this…" he paused, coughing to clear his throat. "I need you to go and never look back. I need you to promise me you won't come back for me, either. Keep driving, don't worry about me. I'll be ok." He kept talking, but Rosalie tuned him out. She couldn't concentrate past the image of the boss waking up and hurting Emmett. She knew he would, too.

 _Go…never look back…don't worry about me…promise you won't come back for me…_

Shaking her head, she insisted, "we can't leave you behind. You can't stay here. I won't let you get in trouble for this."

Standing just feet apart, the pair stared at each other, angry, hurt tears pouring down Rosalie's cheeks while Emmett battled his.

She couldn't help but admit he made her feel safe, even if that in itself did unnerve her slightly.

Holding out a large hand, Emmett stilled halfway towards her face as though asking permission. Nodding after a brief moment of hesitation, Rosalie allowed him to wipe the moisture from her face with the end of his sleeve. It smelled like hay, horse feed, and wood, but felt perfectly soft on her tender, puffy skin. Distracted by the sensation, she didn't notice his other hand moving until it was encasing one of hers. She tensed, trembling all over at the unexpected contact. Gently tugging it back, Rosalie was relieved when he didn't say anything about her rejection.

Emmett forced his tone to be as light as possible. "I'm a big boy, I can look after myself. I won't be stuck here forever, I'll follow you as soon as I can but for now, I need you out of here so I can sort this out, ok?"

Rosalie met his gaze, too-close but not close enough, and realized it was a fight she wasn't going to win without time on her side. And she didn't have time. Caving, she sighed and nodded.

Emmett harnessed every muscle in his body and tried to hide his misery. "Good."

It took an immense amount of willpower, but somehow he managed to pull away from her, scooping Scarlett up gently before carrying her out of the barn towards the idling truck with Rosalie and Marley right behind them.

 **~ oOo ~**

Inside, Garrett slowly regained consciousness.

He groaned as his eyes peeled open, just the weak light in the room sending his pounding head spinning. Without moving from his position on the floor he slowly blinked his eyes into a blurry half-focus, only able to make out the bottom of the brown leather sofa from this angle. The patterned rug swam in front of his gaze, sending nausea swirling through his gut. Snippets of memories flitted through his mind, rekindling his ire.

Scarlett. Rosalie.

Shakily, he lifted a hand towards his head, pressing a fingertip against the warm, wet spot that the sharp stabbing sensations radiated from. When he put them back in his line of vision he choked on air. Dark crimson blood coated his skin. A single drop fell to the floor.

Fighting against sickness and excruciating pain, he managed to get himself onto all-fours, then his knees, then up to two feet. Even that small movement made his whole body wobble from side-to-side, precarious.

" _Ahhh…_ " he groaned, hanging onto the edge of the sofa in an effort to keep upright. Every second was a struggle, especially with his returning anger tightening his spine. Somehow he found the strength to turn, heading in the direction of the door. It was only when he reached the threshold that he concluded it was probably too late. A quick glance back into the room revealed the absence of both girls, the house around him oddly silent beneath the roar in his ears. Despite his unsound mind, Garrett had the sense to know it was over, he was done, so he rigidly took a box of matches from a cabinet drawer before setting fire to all the wooden furniture nearby. If he could, he'd have moved into the room to empty the underfloor safe. As it was, he struggled to stand, so it wasn't a remote possibility.

Hot, dancing flames licked up the walls. They engulfed everything within reach. Large wooden cases filled with aged, worn books went up in seconds, the dry conditions aiding the task. As the last of the bookcases started to burn, Garrett hobbled down the hall, bouncing from wall to wall with a grimace on his face and blood staining the shoulder of his blue and white gingham dress shirt a reddish-purple.

By the time he reached the front door Rosalie, Scarlett, Marley, and Emmett were at the truck. The aged man staggered onto the grass outside the ranch house, his mind whirring, cold heart thudding, head plagued by a dull ache that rapidly depleted his energy. All-too-aware of the inevitable explosion on its way – the spare oil canisters were kept in the room next door to his study – Garrett stumbled as far from the house as he could.

Rosalie spotted him just a second before the building exploded.

The enormous orange-red fireball that shot up into the sky sent out waves of heat that almost burned, Rosalie's shrill scream like flames in her throat as she clutched Marley tighter and turned away from the flames.

Garrett's eyes burned, a result of the acrid smoke, his back hot facing the inferno swallowing his house as he tripped away into exile.

The girls hated the ranch, always had, but it was all they'd known for more than half their lives. Seeing the evidence of its demise, it was more than Rosalie could deal with. She wished for Scarlett's ability to go numb.

Emmett shifted his form protectively in front of her. "You need to get Scarlett out of here. Now."

After a short stand-off Rosalie knew she was beaten. Emmett wasn't coming with them. For whatever reason he was determined to stay.

"One day I'll follow you, but it's your turn now," he pleaded in the softest tone he could manage, torn between wanting to run with them, and wanting to make sure they could never be hurt again.

Rosalie nodded in answer to the promise he asked her to give – to not look back. "We'll see you again though, won't we?"

At the sight of even a sliver of the grin she'd grown to adore she couldn't help but try to push everything else around her to the back of her mind.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me, for sure, Missy. I promise."

Rosalie's heart pounded like never before as she held out a trembling hand, extending her pinky finger. It was a ritual her mother and Scarlett's had started with them as young girls, and a tradition they'd shared with Emmett a week or so ago. It seemed fitting to use it now.

Emmett smiled shakily, twining his pinky with hers, whispering, "I pinky promise."

Checking on Scarlett one last time, making sure she was comfortable on the backseat of the truck, and Marley, who was belted in on the front bench beside Rosalie, Emmett delivered a solid _thump_ to the roof with his open palm. Forcing a small smile onto his face, he held his tears back and tossed the bags into the bed of the truck, closing the door after Rosalie. Even with the added worry she'd never driven before he couldn't help but hope they'd get far away before they needed to stop. The track on the way out of the property would give her time to get her footing, and he pointed out the controls quickly too, but after that she was on her own.

Before Rosalie could say or do anything to make him leave with them he took a big, painful step backwards on his bad leg, gray-blue eyes following the rust-bucket truck as she threw it forward and hightailed it away from the fast-burning house of torment.

In the rear-view mirror Rosalie watched Emmett, blurred by her heartbroken tears, standing on the track exactly where she left him. The morning sun had appeared by then, hovering over the horizon, bathing the entire ranch in burnt oranges and fiery reds to match the fire tearing its way through all evidence of Scarlett and Rosalie's torture at the hand of their evil abductor. As Emmett became a speck in the distance Rosalie found herself clinging to his promise that they'd see each other again, praying to a God she was desperate to believe in that he'd be ok.

He _had_ to be. There wasn't another outcome she was willing to accept.

And besides, isn't it common knowledge you can't break a pinky promise once you've made it?

 **~ oOo ~**

Pale eyelids fluttered delicately, strawberry-blonde lashes fanned across pale ashen cheeks. A soft groan spilled from lips parted just a fraction. Rosalie's eyes flew away from the road for a second at the sound. As soon as she realized what was happening, she pulled clumsily to one side of the road, sending a cloud of dust and dirt up into the humid air before jamming the truck to a standstill.

"Marley moo, I think Scarlett's waking up. Come look."

Marley scrambled over, the first time she'd dragged herself away from the window since they rumbled away from the flaming ranch. The hope on her face made Rosalie choke up. "Scarlett? Scarlett?"

Bloodshot azure eyes flickered open once, twice, three times. Then they opened up fully, blinking away the grogginess of sleep. The smell of oil, leather, and something inherently manly filtered through her nose and stung her sore throat.

The fear that Scarlett wouldn't wake up had been plaguing Rosalie for the past hour as she taught herself to drive down mostly-deserted roads, so to see those familiar eyes was a huge relief. "Are you ok?"

Scarlett exhaled shakily, eyes pinched but fixed to the expanse of clear blue sky through the bug-splattered windshield. Her mind lost in a fog of mismatched thoughts or memories, she wasn't sure. Furrowing her brow slightly, she cocked her head at Rosalie. It was a gesture Marley made many times each day, and brought a teary grin to Rosalie's face.

"We're somewhere near Helena, I think…there was a sign back there, anyway." Baby-blues filling rapidly with tears met Scarlett's gaze. "We're _free_ , Barley. We've been driving for over an hour. Its over."

The words flew around the cab, bouncing their meaning into the girls' heads while they tried to get used to their new state of being.

Free.

For the first time in over a decade they had nowhere to be except _away_ , nothing to do except _go_. When the truck started to show it was empty Rosalie knew there was extra fuel stored in the bed for long supply runs, so they didn't need to worry about that. And they'd managed to steal some food from the kitchen – tinned meat, fruit, and beans – so they had food, too.

Scarlett made to talk, trying to push herself upright. It was then she spotted Marley, leaning over the back of the seats with wide, nervous eyes. As soon as she opened her arms the little girl scrambled into the back with her, burrowing into the older girl's body as tears leaked over their cheeks. "It's ok, babygirl, it's ok," Scarlett rasped, smothering Marley's hair with kisses tinged with both desperation and relief.

Marley pulled back, cradling Scarlett's cheek with one tiny hand. She may not have spoken, but her face said more than she'd ever know how to verbalize.

"I'm ok, Marley."

Scarlett shivered at the featherlight touch Marley used to highlight how _not_ ok she was, brushing her fingertips over the darkening handprints around her slender neck.

"Marley moo, scoot back a second please, I'll help Scarlett up."

Marley was hesitant, but she eyed Rosalie as she leant over the seats to help Scarlett sit up and get comfortable on the worn leather seats. Tears poured freely as the pair stared together out of the windshield.

"Ca—" Scarlett's throat closed up, making her breaths scrape through her throat as she coughed. Rosalie hurried to grab the half-empty bottle of warm water from the foot-well.

"Here, drink thi. It's gross but it'll help your throat."

Nodding her thanks, Scarlett accepted the lukewarm drink. After guzzling a few mouthfuls she exhaled tiredly, her mouth soothed at least enough for her to talk a little. There were so many things she wanted to ask, so many things she needed to know, but the pain in her throat was acute.

"There's a map on the seat next to you. Shall we pick somewhere small to stay for a bit 'til we know what we're doing?"

A few minutes later they'd chosen Lewistown, which was roughly north-west from where they estimated they were sitting. According to the map it was a relatively small city, so it should have somewhere for them to remain inconspicuous while they gathered supplies with their limited funds, which was all they were looking for. Scarlett settled herself sideways on the bench with Marley in her lap, facing Rosalie as she punched the sticky accelerator until the rust-bucket lurched forwards. During the last hour or so she'd managed to get the hang of making the aged vehicle move, but it was still difficult and somewhat intimidating. She apologized to Scarlett for the jumpy start before switching on the radio to fill the silence.

Tim McGraw's My Next Thirty Years began to play. Within minutes, the girls were sharing tremulous smiles at the lyrics.

 **~ oOo ~**

The sun shone high over Montana as the girls drove cross-country. They briefly stopped a couple of times to stretch their legs and eat some of the tinned food they'd managed to sneak away. With fruit salad lining their stomachs they headed off again, typically country music playing through the single working speaker.

Marley, having never been off the ranch, was a bundle of nervous anticipation. She'd never been in a car, let alone an aged, rickety truck, but she was enjoying being able to watch this whole new world pass by the window, and she alternated between staring out and pointing to things until Scarlett or Rosalie appeased her by looking. For both older girls, it was magical to see Marley's excitement. To see the world through a child's eyes was always a great experience, but to see it through the eyes of a child who'd never had the chance to be free? Never had a chance to see the world beyond the only house she'd ever known?

It was truly enchanting.

By eleven a.m., the girls were parked up beneath a large tree, sitting back in the grass against the trunk with the map spread across their laps. Well, Scarlett and Rosalie's laps. Marley was far too busy exploring the long grass between the tree and the truck – the area she'd been told to stick to. Picking a random route that avoided all kinds of civilisation was their goal because they didn't want to chance passing anybody who might recognize the truck. For all they knew he could've been calling his cronies as soon as he walked away from the burning house, putting out the word that they'd run off. It wasn't a chance they felt comfortable taking.

Wind ruffled Scarlett's hair as she soaked up the sun and let the warmth of their newly gained freedom relax her, the sunlight reflecting from the small square of bandage Rosalie managed to tape to her head to protect the gash there. It throbbed dully, but there wasn't too much blood so Scarlett wasn't too worried. She hadn't even realized it was there until Rosalie had pointed it out, and said she needed to dress it. They surmised it had happened when she fell to the floor, perhaps hitting it on the end table or the floor.

While Scarlett rested, Rosalie topped up the gas tank and took the opportunity to change clothes, tossing her jeans and cardigan into the truck after changing into a pair of acid wash denim shorts. It was surprisingly warm for an April morning, and soon Marley wanted out of her hoodie too, though she immediately resumed her exploration dressed only in a pair of rolled-up tracksuit bottoms and a gray t-shirt. They took advantage of the rays and moved away from the shade of the tree, stretching out in the sun with Scarlett's yoga pants rolled up to her knees, their faces tipped back to the sun while Marley marveled over her new world, they'd have looked like two ordinary young women with their sister or daughter, simply enjoying the weather.

As much as they were enjoying themselves though, there was still the lingering, nagging voices in the back of their heads, muttering that _he_ would find them, that they'd never really be free even if they felt like it at that moment in time. When a lone dear wandered close enough for its hoof to audibly snap a twig Scarlett gasped in fright, scrambling to her feet only to sink back to her knees when it made her dizzy. In the split seconds to follow it became painfully obvious that although they were physically further away from _him_ , he wasn't far from their thoughts. It was a slap in the face for them both, one which ruined the tranquility and forced them back into the truck to resume their roundabout journey towards Lewistown.

Almost an hour passed before Scarlett pulled her head from the clouds long enough to switch on the radio to quell the deathly silence within the cab.

 **~ oOo ~**

"I'm just gonna jump in the shower. Will you be ok?"

Scarlett nodded, waving her hand at Rosalie.

"All right. Well, I'll only be a few minutes."

Ducking quickly into the tiny, falling-apart bathroom attached to their ramshackle motel room, Rosalie dived into the shower stall, leaving the door cracked open just in case. As the warm water tumbled over her head and down her body she sent up some heartfelt thanks for lazy motel receptionists. The tie-dye sporting, chewing-gum-popping teenager on the desk had barely spared her a glance when she stumbled over words to request a room. It set them back thirty-five dollars for two nights, so they'd decided to move on tomorrow after visiting a gas station, hoping for lower prices somewhere else. They only had a hundred and eleven dollars to last them.

Thankfully, they still had enough tinned food to keep them going for a while, but nothing more than the bottle from the truck to refill from the single working tap to drink, and not enough gas to last them more than fifteen miles. The cans in the bed of the truck turned out to be either half-empty or completely empty, much to the girls' disappointment.

 _Maybe not even that long_ , Rosalie mused as she rinsed her hair, because they had to keep on the move and they weren't sure exactly how far the nearest city was. After all, their original journey to the ranch was a complete blank.

Chloroform and trauma will do that to two recently kidnapped eight year old's.

While Rosalie showered, Scarlett curled herself into a ball on the small double bed in the corner as tears soaked her already-stained cheeks. Her body, too slim even for her petite frame, was exhausted by the day's events and all that had come before. Her head throbbed in time with her erratic heartbeat, nausea churning her gut. With emotions and thoughts finally settling, her mind was shutting down, shock hitting her like a wrecking ball. After twelve years of imprisonment it was impossible for Scarlett to comprehend that she, Rosalie, and Marley didn't have to go back.

The idea that _he_ could hunt them down, which he promised whoever was on the phone the night before, made being pleased a moot point. He would come for them, there was no doubt. And he'd be pissed.

Rosalie had filled her in on everything that had happened after she'd fallen unconscious, so she was under no illusions there either.

They owed their lives to Emmett.

If he hadn't given them the truck they hadn't even known existed, the only remaining way off the ranch, if he hadn't carried her outside before _he_ woke up and torched the house, they both might have been dead. Marley might have been dead.

Scarlett would've been ash on the floor of the study within which she'd taken countless beatings.

Nothing could eclipse the fact that neither of them knew what they were meant to do now. They hoped desperately that their families hadn't forgotten them, but the possibility they'd given up bit at their ankles. When they were first taken Scarlett had been so focused on keeping her frail, hours-younger pseudo-sister upbeat that she hadn't had time to consider the chance their families wouldn't find them. Only once more time had begun to pass, when birthdays, Christmases, and the anniversaries of their abduction flew by, they started to worry. They began to lose hope, lose faith in their families and the authorities. It took a few years for them to realize, to accept, that in all likelihood it would be up to them to free themselves.

Adding to Scarlett's worry then was a threat she'd heard plenty of times.

If you so much as try to escape I'll shoot your families and make you look at the proof.

All the times he went away for weeks on end, leaving them on the ranch with the men, she had a little voice in the back of her mind reminding her of his cruel, vile sneer as he promised to make their loved ones pay if he returned to find them gone, reminding her of the pictures he'd once shown her that only someone who'd been inside their homes could possibly have taken. It had kept them from running until now, but knowing he'd stumbled away, alive, still very much a threat to their families, would they ever be able to go home?

Scarlett's head throbbed. At the same time, her gut twisted viciously. She spun as quickly as she could to empty her stomach into the bucket Rosalie placed beside her bed earlier. There was nothing in her body to come up since she'd been sick shortly after their arrival at the motel, so the bile burned her already painful throat, _his_ phantom icy fist making each choked breath agony.

Soft, warm hands on her head made Scarlett peer upwards. Marley smiled weakly, kissing Scarlett's sweat-dampened forehead. She was concerned, it was there in the knot between her brow and the tilt to her head. Images began to surge through Scarlett's mind, images that made her heart lurch.

Marley couldn't be harmed. Scarlett would never forgive herself if her proximity to the sweet little girl put her in danger. And _he_ had never paid any attention to Marley, only referring to her maybe ten times in her entire laugh. So if she weren't with Scarlett, it was plausible to expect that she'd be far safer than if she were clinging to her body as she was wont to do. Realizing this caused a tidal wave of heavy sadness to drown Scarlett. There was only one thing she could do, and she hated even the thought of it. She couldn't stand the idea of not being able to wrap Marley up safe in her arms, to be able to soothe her with her hands in the girl's long chocolate tresses, or to comfort her with the song she sang whenever Marley woke from a nightmare and wanted to be reassured.

But it meant saving her life, so it had to be done.

 _Not now though_ , Scarlett thought, clutching Marley close to her body and burying her face in her hair. _Not right now. I need her._

"Scarlett!" Only when Rosalie rushed into the room and darted right to her did Scarlett realize how fast she was breathing. She cradled Scarlett's shoulders, stroking her tangled blonde curls soothingly when she had to hover over the bucket once more, hot tears scalding rosy cheeks. "Are you ok?"

Scarlett's nod was weak, but she slid off the bed with Marley watching after her, eyes wide but wary, and padded to the bathroom to brush her teeth and rummage through the duffel bags.

A handful of minutes later, Rosalie opened her arms to Scarlett on the bed. She'd redressed, now sporting a pair of yoga pants, a green scoop-neck vest, and a matching shade of zip-through hoodie. The pair curled into each other, Marley cocooned between them with Mister Eddie, pulling the covers up over their heads until they were wrapped tight together like a caterpillar in a chrysalis.

"Are you cold?"

Scarlett shook her head in a 'no', then Marley copied.

"Ok," Rosalie sighed. "You can relax now. It's all right."

 **~ oOo ~**

Time passed slowly. The sun eventually set, the two older girls only moving to drink some water and encourage Marley to use the bathroom and eat some food before they all returned to the creaky bed. The door had been barricaded shut by a water-damaged cabinet, the only contents a torn bible and an empty water bottle with no label. The rusted key to the room sat atop it, the dim light-bulb dangling from the ceiling casting it in an orangey glow.

It was well into the night when Scarlett finally stopped battling the thoughts in her head, and gently shook Rosalie's shoulder until her eyes popped open.

"We need to go to the hospital," she whispered.

Rosalie's eyes widened, her expression frantic. "Are you ok? Is it your head? Do you want me to—"

" _Sh!_ It's not my head, I'm fine. I feel ok now." Scarlett sucked in a deep breath, hating the words that were about to pass her lips even though she knew they needed to be said, knew what she was about to insist upon needed to happen. It was the only way.

"Scarlett, you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry, sorry. We need to go to the hospital with Marley…and leave her there."

 **~ oOo ~**

 _Eastbourne, England – April 21_ _st_ _2016 3:24a.m._

A pair of wide, blue-green eyes locked onto the ringing handset for a full minute before it rang off. The subsequent huffed breath was loud in the silent room. Street lights shone weakly through the net curtains, the deep purple drapes matching the bedspread opened wide to the starry night, the moon eerily bright in the dark sky.

The muted buzz of the simple black flip-phone on the bedside cabinet started up again, 'Private Caller' flashing in bright white letters on the small screen. This time, a shaky, weathered hand reached for it. Suntanned, aged fingers wrapped around the phone before flipping up the screen, pressing the button glowing green, and raising it with a hesitant pause to an ear covered by graying strawberry-blond curls.

"Swan," he grunted softly, gruff but very much alert.

There was a pregnant pause before the words Charlie Swan had been longing to hear for over twelve years came through the speaker with unmistakable excitement, a bit crackly through the line but clear as a bell in his mind.

" _Charlie Swan? I'm Riley Lawrence with the FBI, International Crimes Devision, and I believe we've located your daughter, Sir._ "

* * *

 **I know, I know, up top I said I hate cliffies and then I went and gave you another one. Sorry!**

 **Next update should be Monday - but may be earlier again depending on how quickly I get it turned around :)**


	8. Chapter Seven

**~ oOo ~**

 **Uh, yeah, so, another early update. I'm sure you're  
not complaining after that mean cliffie though!**

 **Longest chapter so far! 6656 without the summary or title, EEK!**

 **So, some of you were mad with me (Scarlett) for her plan**  
 **to leave Marley at a hospital. I totally understand - I was**  
 **mad with me too when the idea cropped up. Let's not forget**  
 **though, Scarlett and Rosalie are mega overwhelmed, in pain,**  
 **exhausted, and experiencing a sort of quasy freedom for the first time in over**  
 **twelve years - they're not thinking clearly, and they're all-too-aware**  
 **that Garrett is still out there. I'm not saying Scarlett's decision**  
 **would be mine, but it is hers to make, so I'll let you read on and see**  
 **what happens. Please just hang tight and remember...**  
 **EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING THE WAY IT IS FOR A REASON.**

I promised a HEA, and now I'm making you another promise -  
 **that happy ever after? It will definitely include Marley!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Seven**

Weak, early-morning sun bathed the houses on Percival Road in its soft light. The front lawn glistened with a mixture of dew and leftover rain from the night before, the driveways damp but also dry where cars had protected them. A gate banged shut in the wind just down the street, a dog barking his protest from a garden on the opposite side of the road. With the sun only just peeking over the horizon the light from inside one of the houses was even more noticeable, the windows glowing like a firefly in a jar. In the kitchen, two men paced restlessly, switching between forcing themselves into seats at the table and circling the island.

"This'll drive me crazy. What time is it?" Peter Hale was the first to crack, glancing up at the clock through tented fingers.

"A full four minutes since you asked last time. Five forty-two."

The men shared a glance. In any other life they would have grinned, maybe even laughed. Not this one. Not now, when they were anxiously waiting for a call from the FBI. The last either of them had been told was that an agent would be in touch shortly. That was at four a.m., a full hour and forty minutes previous.

The sudden opening and slamming of the front door had both men turning swiftly to face the doorway joining the kitchen to the hallway. A tall, dark, curly haired man appeared there, panting with a young boy under one arm, a baby in the other, and a holdall slung over his shoulder.

"Is it true? I only just got your message."

Archie Swan shuddered the last of the cool air off as warmth soaked through his t-shirt and joggers. After working the night shift as a security guard at a shopping center in Eastbourne, he'd just walked in the door when he remembered his phone had beeped with a message an hour or so before. His colleague had accidentally tripped an alarm, so he'd forgotten about the incoming message while investigating. After listening to his dad's rambling message he'd stood, stock-still, in the hallway of his house for a good couple of minutes before the sleepy mumblings of the boy in his arms brought him back to reality. The words still hadn't sunk in, even though his phone was laying at the floor at his feet, unimportant in light of what his voicemail had revealed.

 _Could it be true?_ Unsure of whether he'd been dreaming, or his mind was playing tricks, Archie could only think of one thing that would really convince him. What would normally be a fifteen minute journey was turned into just under ten and found him staring pleadingly at his dad and the man he'd known his entire life as Uncle Pete, desperate for this to be real. For Scarlett and Rosalie to have been found.

Charlie swallowed heavily, glancing at Peter before facing his grown-up son and two young grandsons. He strode across the room to clasp his shoulders, mindful of the six-year-old asleep on his hip and the baby against his chest.

"I wouldn't lie to you, not about this, son."

Blue-green eyes met chocolate brown as he added, "they've found them, Arch. They're alive."

Slowly but surely Archie's brain wrapped around the concept that his hope for all these years hadn't been for naught. All six-foot-two of him began to shake as tears spilled over his cheeks and splashed a mop of curly black hair against his t-shirt. Three hearts thundered in the silent kitchen, Archie's soft whimper the only sound to break the quiet.

"Pass them here, Archie."

Archie unthinkingly passed his sleeping youngest son to Peter before laying his eldest, carefully so as not to wake him, on the loveseat nearby before burying himself into his father's waiting embrace. He may have been almost twenty-eight years old, but when it came to the disappearance of his younger sister and the girl he'd always held in the same regard, Archie had never been one to shy away from his emotions. He was just sixteen when they'd been snatched away, two people he freely admitted were his best friends despite their gender and age. He never imagined then that it would be well over twelve years until any new information was found.

It hadn't occurred to him even once that he'd be a _father_ twice over before he was a brother again.

Sniffling loudly, he pulled away from Charlie, holding his shoulder tightly. A few deeps breaths later, his dark eyes landed on the baby snuggled against Peter's chest, content and safe wrapped in his godfather's arms, then the boy snoring on the sofa. As though knowing he was being watched, Archie's son stirred and stretched two tittle arms out before settling back to look up at Peter's face, as he was standing the closest, with a slight, sleepy, adorable frown.

"Uncle Petey? Whe-uh's Daddy?"

"Daddy's here, champ." At the sound of his dad's voice, his head spun to the side. A bright, toothy grin spread across his face as he clambered off the sofa and ran to Archie, happy to be scooped up for a hearty hug.

"Daddy!"

Archie wasn't ashamed to admit that he teared up again while listening to his boy's giggles.

"Carl-Roman!" He mimicked playfully, peppering his son's face with kisses just to get more soul-healing laughter. It soothed his racing heart at the same time as it set his mind back on some sort of even keel. Carl-Roman rolled his eyes, pushing Archie's cheeks together so his lips were puckered eyes crinkled wetly as he tried to smile. "Ge'roff, 'amp!"

Carl-Roman's grin widened, his eyes sparkling with joy. He'd spent the night sleeping on the sofa in his daddy's office, he was his usual bright, alert self. "You sound silly, Daddy."

Charlie reached up to wipe at his eyes before chuckling and catching his grandson's attention. "You got that right, champ. Now what do you say to some breakfa—"

Before he could finish his question, his phone lit up with the name ' ', dancing across the chocolate brown marbled counter. A mug of cold, untouched coffee sitting nearby shivered as a result of the vibrations, sending circular swirls rippling through the liquid. Three men stared at the phone for long, silence-filled seconds before an impatient boy harrumphed, sounding every bit like his paternal grandfather.

"Pawpaw, are you gonna get that? I wanna have some choc'late hoops?"

Archie shared a look with his dad, then shifted his son and directed his focus towards breakfast while Charlie answered his phone.

"Swan."

" _There's going to be a car on your doorstep at exactly seven a.m., your time, tomorrow morning. You and Peter Hale need to get in it. It will take you to the airport and there'll be an officer there to meet you with more information_ ," Riley Lawrence explained swiftly in his now-familiar New York accent. He breathed out heavily, the tell-tale sounds of activity muffled through the phone line.

Charles inhaled sharply. "Are they ok? What's going on? Are they safe?"

" _I'm sorry, Charlie, I really need you to trust me on this one. Can you be patient for just a little while longer until I can explain everything in person?_ "

Charlie's eyes flicked upwards to Peter's expectant expression, to Archie ruffling the hair of the little boy named after the his aunts. It had been over twelve years since he and his best friend had seen their daughters.

He sucked in a shuddery breath, tugging at graying hair. Of all the people who'd taken on their case, Riley Lawrence was the man whose hard work had paid off. It was because of him and his team they finally knew what their hearts had been telling them all this time – the girls were alive. They were in America, thousands of miles away, but they were alive.

So, even though it killed him, Charlie sighed. "We want answers as soon as we get to you. I mean that. We've waited long enough."

Riley agreed wholeheartedly, tacking a reminder that the car would be there at exactly seven a.m. tomorrow to his 'goodbye' before hanging up.

"Well?" Peter asked, anxious. Seeing the ache in his eyes for good news, the pain he saw on his own face every day, Charlie felt the slight pull of a smile on his lips. It was tempered only by the twenty-four hours between then and when the car was due to arrive.

"A car is coming at seven a.m. tomorrow to take us to the airport, then we'll get the answers we need."

The house burst into activity a Peter threw his arms around Charlie, Archie sighing in relief while promising his inquisitive son that all was well.

 **~ oOo ~**

A short while later Peter headed next-door to his house to get things in order for an open-ended trip to the States. Archie and Carl-Roman ate their cereal, eating it in the living room with cartoons amusing the big boy as much as the small. When Carl-Roman's baby brother, five-month-old Chase, woke up he got to join his daddy and brother, chowing down quite contentedly on a bottle of warm milk and some porridge.

In the meantime, Charlie shoved essentials into a large black holdall in his bedroom, whirling around to make sure there wasn't anything he'd missed. As he did so, Charlie's eyes caught on a photograph laying face-up on the mantle over the purely decorative fireplace. He paused, reaching out to touch it. The beech wood frame felt smooth under his wood-calloused fingertips, years of working hard on construction sites toughening the skin. Hot tears held back by his pride prickled the harried man's eyes as he ran a thumb over the rosy cheeks of the smiling blonde in the picture. In this particular photo she was three years old with wild blonde curls, brilliant blue-green eyes that matched the Mediterranean backdrop, and not a care in the world.

Just two weeks later the rug was torn from beneath her feet.

A pair of officers had interrupted the barbecue Charlie and Peter were holding, bearing grave news. News of a car accident. One that had claimed the lives of their wives before the emergency crew could even get there. Charlie's mind wandered back without his permission to a time when he thought life couldn't get any worse.

Four years later, it did.

" _Daddy! Lookie-me! I'm_ swimmin' _!" Scarlett sent a fountain of water through the air with splashing arms and legs, Rosalie squealing in delight while the two dads groaned loudly. Despite their groans, they weren't upset in the slightest. Their girls were the prettiest sight. They lived to hear those giggles, see those smiles._

" _Banana, Daddy's cooking. If you get the food wet what will we eat?" Charlie winked to the giggly girls so they'd know he wasn't really scolding them, shaking his head a little to dislodge the water in his ear._

 _Scarlett rolled her playful eyes and let herself plop back onto her butt, which touched the floor because the paddling pool was only half-full. She and Rosalie, at four years old, would have loved more water, but under their daddy's orders were just enjoying the water they had. Twelve year old Archie, however, complained of its lameness._

" _C'mon Rosie, let's get our babies so they tan swim also."_

 _The girls' dads watched with ear-splitting smiles as their floral, puffy swim-suit clad toddlers skipped inside, hands linked between them, chattering happily about their dolls. It still amazed them daily how much they'd grown. To Charlie and Peter it seemed like only yesterday they'd brought their helpless daughters home swaddled in matching blankets. Overnight the troublesome twosome had gone from tiny babies to slightly bigger ones who were insistent that they could 'do it myself, Daddy!'_

 _For Peter it wasn't quite so sad. After all, he and his wife Tina had their eleven-month-old identical twin girls, Heidi and Pippa._

" _Did you persuade T to let you get that table, Pete?"_

 _Peter chuckled. "Not yet. She's still saying we don't need it. She'd understand what I mean if Rosie ever took all her princess stuff off the pool table. Damn thing's all-but buckling under the weight of all her pink junk."_

 _For a few sunny minutes all was grand. The July weather was scorching, bathing the garden in warmth as they listened to Scarlett and Rosalie laughing from the cracked-open window above. The baby twins were taking their nap inside in the living room while Archie hid in his room on his new Playstation. The wives were out on a shopping run, beer at the top of their list so it wouldn't run out when the afternoon drifted into evening. Nothing could ruin this perfect summer for them._

 _But it could. And it would. Was about to, in fact._

" _Dad? There's a couple of cops at the door. They, um, they wanna talk to you."_

 _Charlie's eyes flashed from the barbecue to his son. Archie stood awkwardly just inside the patio doors, hands wringing in front of his stomach, eyes betraying his nerves. It occurred to Charlie as he set his beer down that it was probably to do with the break in on his van a few weeks prior. He grinned at Peter while walking towards Archie._

" _With a bit of luck they've got the little shit who broke into my van a few weeks back. I want the tools they nicked. Bloody good ones they got away with!"_

 _Peter laughed, waving him off. They both knew the tools were long-gone, having been the expensive kind._

 _Clasping his son briefly by the shoulder as he passed him, Charlie glanced absentmindedly at the clock hanging next to the kitchen door. It was later than he'd thought. With the sun dawdling on its way to the horizon, it had been easy to mistake the evening for afternoon. It was just before four when Penelope and Tina had set off together to the supermarket – the cow-shaped clock read seven fifteen._

 _Shouldn't they be back by now? He wondered as he strolled through the house._

" _Good evening, gentlemen. How can I help you?" Charlie asked, chipper, when he reached the front door. His chipper mood wouldn't last long._

 _There the policemen stood, hats already gripped in their hands. Charlie tried to recall the shopping list Penelope had asked him to check before leaving. What he could remember only added up to about twenty things, all relatively simple. Why had it taken them so long to drive a ten minute journey there and back and pick up those few things?_

" _Charlie Swan?" He nodded, refocusing on the officer addressing him. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes, lips pulled down slightly. "I'm PC Danforth, this is my colleague, PC Paulson. Do you mind if we come in for a moment?"_

" _Um, sure. Come on in."_

 _A heavy ball descended into the pit of Charlie's stomach as he ushered the two men through to the kitchen. Nothing good ever came of policemen arriving on the doorstep, that he knew. Especially not sporting the expressions on these two officers' faces. In the kitchen, they found Peter pulling a cold beer from the fridge._

" _Did you want another, Chuck? I figured you'd want a cold…one." Peter trailed off, frowning, and set the bottles down when he turned to see his childhood friend flanked by the solemn boys in blue. "Did they find your tools?"_

" _Are you Peter Hale, Sir?" At his confused nod, the officers shared a look that set the other two men on edge. Their posture and stern faces said nothing good was going to come of this visit._

" _I think you might like to take a seat for a minute."_

 _Blindly following his suggestion, Charlie and Peter took seats at the newly decorated kitchen counter. Their hearts raced erratically. The way they were being gazed at didn't make either of them feel comfortable, though they didn't know why. Nor did the sympathy visible in the officers' eyes as PC Danforth began to speak._

" _I'm sorry to tell you that there has been an accident."_

 _Charlie and Peter's veins turned to ice._

 _They were forced to listen as PC Danforth detailed the scene he had arrived at forty minutes before. The black car registered in Charlie's name was submerged in Shinewater Lake, the car it had collided with hanging precariously from the crash barrier above. The air around them became thick with fear, disbelief, and sorrow as the two men, two fathers, two husbands realized what the officers were saying._

 _Penelope and Tina were dead._

 _Killed, by a man four times over the drink driving limit. That man was still alive in hospital where he was being treated for minor injuries while Penelope and Tina were gone, their injuries too grave._

 _All of the air was sucked from Charlie's body, his mind whirring with this impossible situation. It must be a joke, he thought. A cruel trick._

 _Pronounced dead at the scene. It all happened very quickly. He was clocked doing eight on a forty limit road a mile back. Traffic police were in pursuit. There will be an investigation and charges will be filed. You have our deepest condolences._

" _Deepest condolences…" It was a phrase Charlie remembered all-too-well from his childhood when his father died after a cancerous attack on his lungs. The doctor was speaking to his aunt while he pretended to sleep on her lap. His mother had died giving birth to him, so for his entire life it had been his dad, his aunt Tanya, and his eight-year-old brother, Patrick. Now it was just him and his baby brother, who was in the cafeteria of the hospital with his aunt's boyfriend._

 _As Charlie and Peter tried to deal with the crushing news, Scarlett and Rosalie stepped into the kitchen. Scarlett's mouth was pulled up into the widest, toothiest smile the policemen had ever seen. Her azure eyes sparkled behind a pair of too-big glasses that belonged on Charlie's larger face, her feet making a clicking noise on the tiles in the bright red heels she sported – far too big for her tiny feet. Rosalie clicked behind her in a similar state of dress, but with purple shoes instead of red._

" _Daddy, look! We're just like Mummy and Awntie T! Tan you take a pitcher to show them?"_

 _With that, the two newly widowed men burst into tears._

 _Neither of them had had any idea that this was just the first of many losses to come._

 **~ oOo ~**

Rosalie stared hard at Scarlett, sleep still crowding her brain. It took a moment or three for her to really comprehend what she was saying.

"Leave her? Why?"

Scarlett sighed, leaning down to inhale the scent of Marley's hair. She always smelled sweet. Like a little girl should. "She needs to be safe. She isn't safe with us."

"Of course she is!" Rosalie whisper-yelled. "She's always been safe with us! We protect her, we've been protecting her for her whole life! How can you…how can you even _consider_ abandoning her?"

Scowling, Scarlett shook her head. "I'm not abandoning her, Rosalie, but if she stays with us she'll have to run. We can't go to the authorities until we know where…where _he_ is, in case he finds out and hurts our families. He's said he knows important people, hasn't he? You've heard him. What if we report it to the police but he's warned them, or paid them to tell him if we go to them? What if they just hand us right back? We'll never get away again, Rosalie, never. He'd kill us you know. He wouldn't even care about doing it, either." Scarlett's words came thick and fast, each one saturated with fear. "He'd kill us without a second thought and then what would happen to Marley? She'd be with him and we wouldn't be able to protect her."

Rosalie gawped at Scarlett, sure she was suffering a psychotic break. "You're just overwhelmed, Barley. I am, too, but this…if we leave Marley with strangers what do you think will happen then? They won't know who she is or anything! How will they be able to protect her?"

Scarlett seemed to contemplate this for a while. Rosalie couldn't find the words to ask what was going on in her head, so he waited, heart in her mouth, for Scarlett to explain her crazy thought process.

"We'll watch her go in, and give her a letter saying who she is, _who_ _we are_. Yes, that's good. Then they'll know who she is and—"

" _And_ what? What do you think they'll do? They can't just trust a random letter dropped off with a kid, Scarlett! Anybody could write a letter saying whatever they like!"

"I've thought of that already." From the pocket in her hoodie, Scarlett pulled two things. The first was the photo of herself, Rosalie, and Archie that she'd found in the study. Rosalie took it from her with shaky fingers, stroking the apples of her cheeks, then thumbing Archie's riot of dark hair.

"Where did you…" she breathed, tears dripping onto the picture.

"The study. I have a folder of information, I'll show you. But I'll give this to Marley, and write on the back who she is, who we are and where she came from, and I can give them…I can give them the phone numbers Dad and Uncle Pete had. They can call them."

Gazing upon Marley with ears drowning with emotions Rosalie couldn't fathom, couldn't place or name, Scarlett inhaled a big breath that made all three of them tremble. Marley stirred, rolling to curl into Scarlett's chest with a soft sigh that tickled the older girl's collarbone. She was so peaceful, so content, when she slept this way. As though she had no worries and was a normal girl. A normal five-year-old.

"She can have a family. _Our_ family." Scarlett looked to Rosalie, then. The earnest, desperate look in her eyes was frightening in its intensity. "Rosalie _think about it_ , she can go home to Dad, to your dad. They'll look after her, and she'll get to have a family and a home where she can learn and grow. Where she can be safe. Until we know _he's_ not a threat anymore we can't go with her, but she can't stay with us, don't you see? She's a target all the time we've got her. _He_ could use her against us."

Slowly, Scarlett's reasoning warped until it began to make sense. It was horrific to consider leaving Marley anywhere, let alone with strangers and unable to speak, but in a way Scarlett was right. Marley wasn't safe with them, not really. Not with the huge target on their backs. And she had to admit the image of Marley safe between Charlie and Peter made her heart thump unevenly. She wanted that. She wanted it for Marley, and for their peace of mind. But the risks were so many, and options so few.

If, like Scarlett suggested, they left Marley with the authorities at the hospital with a note and proof of who she was there was still no guarantee they'd be able to track down Charlie or Peter. After all, the phone numbers they'd had the girls memorize as soon as they were old enough were twelve years old by then. There was a huge chance they'd been changed in the years since their abduction, and no way for them to know. They had no phone, and very aware most payphones were monitored by cameras. They had no clue how far reaching _his_ powers were, no idea if he was tracking them at that very moment.

"She'll be so scared," Rosalie murmured.

"We'll explain everything to her. She knows about Dad, and Uncle Pete and Archie, Edward and Alice and Jasper…we'll tell her to wait for them."

"Scarlett, I don't think you've thought this through. It sounds great in theory, but if something goes wrong Marley's stuck in the hospital, potentially with the police and a ton of people she doesn't know. She'll be freaked out and terrified. How can that possibly be good for her?"

"Because she'd be _free_ , Rosie. She'd finally be free."

 **~ oOo ~**

Despite Rosalie's hesitation, and the sickness clawing at Scarlett's throat, the following morning before the sun had risen the trio of girls sat in a triangle on the bed, their crossed-knees touching.

"Marley, babygirl, we need you to do something really, _really_ brave today, ok?"

Marley cocked her head, clutching Mister Eddie close to her chest with a solemn, patient expression.

"You remember we talked about your family, in England?"

Marley nodded slowly, clearly bemused.

"Well," Scarlett swallowed hard, "they're going to come and get you, to take you home."

As soon as the word 'home' fell from Scarlett's lips, Marley's eyes widened and she leapt over into her lap, scrabbling to grip her wherever her little hands could find purchase. It took a few seconds before Scarlett's shock evaporated enough for her to realize her faux pas.

"No, babygirl, not the ranch. You're _never_ going back there, you hear me?" She pulled back to cradle Marley's cheeks and stare into her eyes. " _You're never going back to the ranch_ ," Scarlett enunciated slowly and clearly, willing Marley to believe it. She could feel the moment the little girl relaxed. "I promise you, sweet girl, the ranch is gone. You're not going to have to step foot there ever again. So listen, ok, you're going on an adventure. We're going to take you to this place called the hospital where lots of really nice people work. They're going to look after you until your family come to get you, ok? They'll keep you safe."

In her five years of life Marley had never said a single word. She'd made sounds, sure. A whine when she was protesting something, a cry when she was a baby, or a whimper when she hurt herself. But never a word. Scarlett and Rosalie had begged her for them when she was smaller, spending hours speaking to her in the hopes she'd imitate them just once. She never had.

That said, she could communicate in other ways, and with her limited options available to her, the favorite was definitely communicating through touch.

She reached out a tiny hand, resting her palm over Scarlett's cheek. A small blue bruise had blossomed there overnight, perhaps from when she hit her head. Nevertheless it didn't hurt, and she leaned into the little girl's touch, knowing what she was asking without having to question her.

"We can't stay with you, babygirl, but we won't be far, ok? We'll make sure the people who take care of you are kind, and we'll see you again soon."

"You can't promise that," Rosalie whispered, tears streaming freely down her cheeks as she stared at Marley staring at Scarlett. "You can't promise that when you don't know."

" _I do_ ," Scarlett said. "They'll get Marley to our family and she can be safe while we sort this mess out. _He's_ too much of a threat right now. He'll come for us and Marley will suffer. I can't let him hurt her, Rosalie. I couldn't bear it."

Marley whined a little and reached forward to hug Scarlett, resting her head over her heart and pressing a kiss to Scarlett's hand when she raised it to stroke her hair. She hated seeing Rosalie and Scarlett upset. She'd seen it far too often in her short lifetime.

"I can't see another way forward, Rosalie. If there's another way to keep her safe from _him_ then tell me. But I can't see one and it terrifies me. The thought of not being able to hold her _terrifies_ me."

It would have been easy for Rosalie to say 'well don't do it, then'. It wouldn't have taken any effort at all. She was desperate to say it, desperate to say those words and have Scarlett agree and say 'ok, we'll keep her here with us'. But she knew, in her heart of hearts, that despite it being scary for them and scary for Marley, with Garrett Smith still on the loose Marley would be his number one target.

Because he knew. He knew that harming the little girl would kill Scarlett, in particular, and it was no secret that he liked to hurt her.

Watching Scarlett cradle Marley, rocking their bodies gently side-to-side while humming a tune so soft she couldn't make out what it was, Rosalie harshly brushed tears from her face and cleared her throat.

"When?"

Scarlett's voice didn't falter, nor did her movements, but her eyes flickered to Rosalie, then to the slim gap between the curtains at the window. The sun was just peeking through, sneaking into the room to throw a thin line of light across the dirty carpet.

"Soon," she said once she'd finished the song. Peering down at Marley's face, calm now and reassured for the moment, she sighed and brushed a trio of kisses over the little girl's forehead. "We'll go soon."

Less than an hour later they pulled alongside the nearest hospital in the rusty old truck. Well, it was a medical center, but according to the map they had the nearest hospital wasn't close enough in range for them to get there and back on such a small amount of fuel. Either way, there would be people in there that could use a phone to dial Charlie or Peter's number, or contact the relevant authorities to get them on their way. It was risky, and possibly the craziest decision Scarlett had ever made, but she couldn't see past the opportunity for Marley to get away from this whole mess. The only thing she could picture now was Marley in Charlie and Peter's arms, Archie looking on with a proud grin. They'd adore her. They'd see the spark in her eyes and nurture it in ways Scarlett and Rosalie couldn't. Not while they were on the run from a madman intent on making their lives hell.

Marley deserved Christmases and birthdays, presents galore. She deserved to know her family, to live in a proper home she was safe in, and to know she never had to want for anything.

Scarlett and Rosalie couldn't offer her any of those things in a dingy motel with rapidly dwindling money and a crazy man coming after them at any given moment. Every tiny sound had Scarlett and Rosalie swinging towards the door, wondering if their tormentor was about to burst forth. That was no way for a child to have to grow up, and Scarlett couldn't bear the thought of Marley having to spend another day living that way.

"Babygirl, are you ok?"

Marley sucked in a breath through rosebud lips, frowning slightly as she peered up at Scarlett from the middle of the truck bench. She'd been dressed in comfy clothes, as if that would make this easier on her, though they all knew this wasn't going to be pleasant.

But in Scarlett's overwhelmed, exhausted, pained mind, this seemed to be the only option. Right or wrong, she couldn't contemplate any other outcome that wouldn't result in Marley's life being ruined completely. This way she had a chance. A fighting chance to get back to a normal life with a loving family.

Sporting a pair of warm dark gray tracksuit bottoms, the one t-shirt she had that was a color and not gray – it was a faded lilac hue -, and the hoodie to match her bottoms, she'd sat and allowed Scarlett to plait her hair into a long braid down her back. She looked adorable, and utterly innocent. She'd seen so much, and to look at her, she appeared to be an angel sent from heaven.

For Scarlett that's exactly what she was. Motivation and a reason to live and love and now, a reason to fight.

"Have you got your things? Your picture and Mister Eddie?"

Marley lifted the bunny he never set down, then took the photo from her hoodie pocket. Scarlett had penned a note on the back explaining who she was, who Scarlett and Rosalie were, and instructions to contact the authorities who'd deal with a kidnap case in England. Scarlett had no idea how the international side of kidnap cases worked, but she hoped they'd be able to work together to get Marley to Charlie and Peter. They had a photo of her and Rosalie with Archie, and the details of how Marley came to be, so they had no reason not to contact Charlie. She'd even given them his address and the last contact number he'd had.

"Good girl, well done. Ignoring the pain it caused all over her body, Scarlett scooped Marley into her lap and set her astride her thighs, hands cupping her cheeks. She drank in every facet of the little girl's face.

The curve of her cheeks, a sweet button nose begging to be kissed between them.

A rosebud mouth no artist could dream up.

And her huge, bottomless sea-blue-green eyes framed by sinfully long lashes.

She was a beautiful child with a face any person with a heart couldn't resist loving. She was utterly precious, Scarlett's entire world in one tiny little person.

And she was letting her go.

"Ok babygirl, let's get this adventure underway, huh?" Injecting fake enthusiasm into her voice, Rosalie bounced Marley on her knees. Just once, but enough to send pain shooting through her body. She ignored it. "Do you remember the plan? You're going to go inside with Rosalie and when she goes into the bathroom, you're going to give the person behind the counter this note, on the picture. Rosalie is going to come back out and get me, and then your family, they're going to come and pick you up. The nice people here will take care of you until then, all right?"

Marley's lower lip jutted out in slow-motion, trembling. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she valiantly fought them back, visibly steeling herself. Rosalie and Scarlett had never seen anything like it. She nodded, the movement jerky.

"Good girl. Oh Marley, I'm so proud of you. You sweet, brave little thing."

It all happened in a sort of hazy, slowed down fog. Scarlett peppered Marley's face with kisses. They were pure desperation, misery, and sadness. She missed the little girl already and yet she still felt the warm weight of her upon her legs. She missed her smiles, the silent giggles she hid behind her hands. She missed waking up to the heaviness of a wriggling little body atop hers, of a bony elbow jutting into her side.

But most of all, she missed the stolen opportunity to raise Marley.

Fighting against her every instinct, Rosalie climbed out of the truck, tugging her hoodie up over her head as she accepted Marley into her arms when Scarlett passed her down. The little girl was rigid in her arms, but the look on her face was all Scarlett.

Determination. Resolve. Undeniable spirit.

As Rosalie turned to walk away with Marley on her hip, Scarlett reached out a hand and pressed it against the window, fingers stretched wide as though she could press it through the glass and touch Marley, one last time.

Each step felt impossible. Rosalie's legs were like lead. Her heart thumped so fast she felt dizzy. And despite it all, she kept moving, somehow. She made it over the road. Up the steps. Into the lobby.

It didn't even cross her mind to marvel at the automatic doors or the TV screen on the wall advertising some sports brand or other. She barely managed to mumble a 'hello' to the receptionist behind the desk before ducking her head and rushing past towards the restroom. It felt ridiculous to not stop and cry, to beg and plead with the receptionist to help them. To admit who she was, who was sitting in the truck outside, but Rosalie ignored the urge – however strong it was. She'd wanted to desperately to go to the authorities for years. To be free to report Garrett for his crimes. To out him for all he was. Here, she had the perfect chance, and she was going to blow it. She was going to climb out of the bathroom window and leave Marley despite all of her instincts crying out for her not to.

She was going to do it so that Marley could be safe. So that she and Scarlett could hatch their plan to end their torment once and for all – whatever that took.

"Ok, Marley moo, give me a hug."

Marley stretched onto her tiptoes, her shoes squeaking on the linoleum bathroom floor as she twined her skinny little arms around Rosalie's neck, squeezing tight.

"I love you, Marley, ok?"

With a tiny, tremulous smile, Marley stepped back and pressed her fingertips to her lips, then pressed them to Rosalie's cheek, just in the corner of her mouth. _I love you, too_ , the touch said.

" _God, I can't do this,_ " Rosalie breathed, feeling like she was choking. She stared at the little girl, so like her childhood best friend, through tear-blurred eyes. She was fierce and beautiful and everything she wasn't, despite being five years old to her twenty-one.

She was Scarlett, made over.

And that's how Rosalie knew. She knew she'd be ok, because she had all the best parts of Scarlett.

With that thought, she pressed a long, hard kiss to Marley's head, brushing a wayward lock of hair back towards her braid before squeezing her to her chest once more. One last time.

"All right, time for your big adventure." Marley's lips curled upwards, almost like she was asking if it was ok to smile.

Rosalie managed to force the smallest of smiles to encourage her. She didn't want to make this any harder than it had to be. She didn't want to frighten Marley by bursting into the tears threatening to escape. "Time to go and meet your family, ok?"

Sighing, with one last squeeze of one of only three women he'd ever met, Marley braced herself and walked towards the restroom door, glancing back at Rosalie as she pushed the door open.

Rosalie smiled though it killed her inside, and nodded. "You go, baby. God, you're going to love your family so much. Tell them we love them, too, all right?"

Marley nodded, and with that, she was gone.

Knowing it was only a matter of time before the receptionist burst in looking for her, Rosalie grabbed a wad of tissue from the nearest stall before clambering up and out through the window in the corner, using one of the small bins as a stool.

She was across the grass lawn when Marley made it to the desk.

She'd just crossed the road when Marley reached up to get the receptionist's attention, and then passed her the picture after pointing to the note on the back.

She was in the truck when the receptionist came around her desk with a frown on her face and a knot in her stomach to crouch in front of Marley.

She'd started the engine, Scarlett a ball of misery on the other end of the bench with her face hidden in her knees when the receptionist checked the bathroom stalls, then noticed the open window.

And she was gone, the squealing tires leaving behind a cloud of dust in the air when she burst through the front doors of Central Montana Medical Center.

There was nobody there. Nobody but an abandoned child with a photo clutched tight in her tiny fist, tears leaking from eyes the most beautiful shade of blue.

Her mother's eyes.

Scarlett's eyes.

* * *

 **Those of you that guessed Scarlett is Marley's mother - dingding we have a winner(s)!**

 **Her father will take a little longer to be revealed, I'm afraid. But we're getting there, I swear :)**


	9. Chapter Eight

**~ oOo ~**

Monster chapter here I'm afraid! Some 7450 words. I'm a bit  
of a wordy thing at times, it seemed. I'm hoping another early  
update will stop you in your tracks with your pitchforks and help  
you forgive me for my mean cliffies * **hides behind hands** *

Some of you are pretty mad still that Scarlett could consider  
leaving her baby behind, but she's doing what she thinks is  
necessary to keep her precious little girl safe, even though  
it's killing her to do it. She just wants her baby to have a family  
and a home, even if she doesn't get to be part of it.

That said, I'll repeat my A/N from the last chapter,  
 **THIS HEA WILL INCLUDE MARLEY** , I promise.

So, we'll hear more from Charlie and Peter here, and  
find out how the investigation is going. For those of you  
who got a little confused with the timeline, sorry, that was my  
fault.

 ***** This chapter is the same sort of time as the girls' escape,  
** **and shortly afterwards. The FBI are acting quickly now  
** **they're certain of the girls' identities.**

 **The end of the chapter is just an hour after Scarlett and Rosalie  
dropped Marley off. Hope that helps :) *****

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Eight**

 _Meanwhile, in  
Rome, Italy – April 21_ _st_ _(same day as Charlie's phone call)_

A crop of short, artfully mussed copper hair emerged from the water first, the suntanned, rippling shoulders of a man who obviously worked hard on his body following closely behind. Droplets of cool water ran down skin stretched taut over a six-pack of the muscular kind as the man stretched out of the water, pulling himself effortlessly up onto the patio. Not unlike a dog, he shook his head to send a shower of glittering beads flying through the air in all directions. They splattered the flagstones with slightly darker spots.

In the muted light of the early morning, Edward Cullen moved stealthily around the villa. He gathered up a towel from a white Adirondack chair before using it to rub most of the moisture from his body, sliding his feet into flip-flops as he entered his home to stop the floor from getting too slippery.

Ten minutes later, Edward left the relative cool of the air-conditioned villa in lieu of heading into the garage that doubled as a workshop.

Dressed only in a pair of pale blue cargo shorts, brown flip-flops and a dark gray baseball cap, he moved with the grace of someone who was comfortable in his body. Someone at ease with his surroundings. There weren't many places he felt this way, but his villa just a few minutes outside Rome, near to where he'd been born, was absolutely one of them.

Warm, forest green eyes roamed over the fine piece of woodwork awaiting him as he stepped in through an unlocked side door, running his fingertips over the smooth wood. "Perfect," he murmured, grinning with pride. It only needed staining before it would be ready to go to Mr. Alvarez, his kindly neighbor who'd requested the table for his newly renovated dining room.

For a short while the only sounds in the workshop were of tools clanking together, thumping against wood or hitting the concrete floor. Then the silence became oppressive, so Edward switched on the radio and got back to work. He'd never been one for silence when he was alone. Paradoxically, if he had company he was more than content to bask in the quiet, but he hated too little noise when he was by himself. He'd often wondered if it was a result of his only-child status.

The morning passed slowly. Italian musical favorites blared from the dusty radio on the side-table, the tell-tale smell of wood leaking from the workshop throughout the morning and into the afternoon, when Edward wandered out for a late lunch break. At one p.m. it was a fairly ordinary eighteen degrees, but the heat was muggy and stifling with only the slightest of breezes to send soft swirls along the surface of the pool. Wiping sweat from his brows with a hand towel, Edward gazed over the rectangular pool, wondering what to do with himself for the rest of the day. His boss, who also happened to be his grandfather, was holidaying with his wife and had given him free rein to do whatever he pleased for the duration of their six-week cruise. He still had five weeks to go. The young man was already getting antsy for something to keep his mind and hands occupied, and he'd promised himself he wasn't going to step foot in the music room. It only frustrated him when he sat at the piano and his hands, his mind, didn't cooperate.

Startling Edward from the humdrum of his thoughts was the phone ringing from the patio table a few feet away. He reached out and snagged it on the third go, just barely managing not to drop it. He grinned lopsidedly when he saw his best friend and his young sons' faces flashing on the screen. "Hey, man."

" _Edward! How ya doin', bro?_ "

"Not too bad, not too bad. Can't complain. How's champ? And baby champ?" Edward leaned back on his free arm, head tipped back to the sun, eyes slipping closed. It had been a while since he'd spoken to Archie. Too long. Guilt pressed on his chest.

" _Actually, we're pretty…I dunno. God, this is harder than I thought._ "

Frowning, Edward coughed pointedly for his friend to continue.

" _They er…Dad got a call last night. Some guy from the FBI._ " Edward's eyes flew open as Archie added, " _they've found Scarlett and Rosalie, man. They're alive._ "

The names of Archie's sisters made the hair at the nape of Edward's neck stand on end.

 _Scarlett and Rosalie…_

Two young girls he remembered so vividly from his trips to England.

They were Archie's shadows, followed him everywhere. Not that he complained. Edward's mouth stretched into a bemused, still-catching-up, rueful grin as he recalled his best friend's willingness to do anything for his little sisters. Being an only child he could only imagine what the bond between Archie, Scarlett, and Rosalie felt like – especially the latter, who wasn't even related biologically to the Swan siblings. Archie never treated her differently, though. Scarlett and Rosalie were like the older version of Rosalie's younger twin sisters, though the elder three weren't as close to the younger two as they were to each other, Edward remembered.

Three pees in a pod.

Edward tugged the bill of his hat round to the front of his head. His silence wasn't just for his own sake. Archie was sniggling. Having known each other for going on twenty years Edward knew Archie would want a minute to steady his emotions.

Though he wasn't in England at the time, Edward remembered all-too-well the agony on Archie's face when Scarlett and Rosalie went missing on their way home from school one day. Archie's face, along with those of the girls' dads, was on every new station throughout Europe. Some even further afield when the search on home ground didn't yield any results. The search grew and grew, yet somehow never quite big enough.

" _They're in Montana. Dad said they didn't say much, but they're alive, and we know where they are._ " Blowing out a big breath, " _it's mad. All this time we've wondered and hoped…and now we know. Just like that. It's sorta surreal, actually._ "

Archie explained the scant information he, Charlie, and Peter had been given, Edward relocating to the edge of the pool where he dangled his muscular legs scattered with dark hair into the refreshing water. It helped keep a note of reality in his mind. The knowledge that the girls were alive and out there was definitely welcome, but an enormous shock. During the childhood he'd spent being passed from pillar to post between Italy and England, Edward had latched onto the mish-mashed Swan-Hale family. In fact, in his teenage years when he was old enough, he'd chosen to stay in England with his paternal aunt and uncle just down the street from Archie and his family. He'd been regarded as an extra family member. A brother to Archie, the sole boy in a group of five.

Absorbing everything Archie had said, Edward asked, "so what's happening? Chuck and Pete are flying out, I guess?"

" _Yeah, that's actually what I'm calling about…_ " Archie trailed off.

Gazing up at the cerulean sky, Edward prompted him to continue.

" _I can't leave Carl-Roman and Chase, Ed. Or work. I already took a load of time off when Carl-Roman was sick in January, so my boss would go nuts._ " Another pause kicked Edward's heartrate up a notch. Where was he going with this? " _Feel free to say 'no', man, I won't be mad. It's a lot to ask, I know that._ "

Sudden comprehension dawned, and Edward's mind shot off at a mile-a-minute organizing thing, making a mental list of phone calls he needed to make, and calling up the name of his grandfather's friend who worked at an airline in Rome.

"I'll go, man. Course I will. Is later tonight all right?"

" _You're…you're kidding? You'll go?_ "

Edward chuckled as he lifted himself up and half walked, half jogged towards the villa, his wet feet slapping against the tiles on the way to the bedroom at the rear of the building.

"I'm not kidding, Arch. Of course I'll go with them. That's what you were gonna ask, right? You want muscle and support in case shit gets heavy?"

Archie agreed in a hushed tone that belied his surprise. Surprise that almost insulted Edward, because why wouldn't he go? Over the years Charlie and Peter had been like uncles to him. They'd supported him throughout almost his entire life. And wasn't he just complaining that there wasn't anything to do until his grandfather-slash-boss returned?

Besides, Charlie and Peter aside, Edward had always adored Scarlet and Rosalie. They weren't just Archie's shadows – they were his, too. Scarlett especially. From the very beginning she'd taken a shine to the dark haired, dark eyed Italian boy her brother befriended at holiday club. The little blonde had often followed him around like a loyal puppy, blue-green eyes curious and so inquisitive when she'd pepper him with questions about Italy, being a boy, his love of the piano when most boys wanted to play football or rugby.

Her enthusiasm and friendliness had been never-ending, never-waning, and Edward had always harbored guilt at not being a better friend to the family when the girls went missing.

So no, if there was something he could do now, there wasn't a chance in hell he'd pass it up.

"So, tonight? Too late? I'll get the earliest flight I can."

Five minutes later Edward hung up, tossing his phone without thought in the direction of the bed. With Archie's grateful assurance that tonight would be fine, Edward powered up his laptop to book the earliest flight out with one hand, while using the other to throw random into a medium-sized, well-worn duffel bag, his packing style haphazard at best.

 **~ oOo ~**

Hours later, he hopped from a taxi outside Charlie's house, tipping him heavily for making the journey from Gatwick even though technically he'd been off the clock for over an hour. As the cab pulled away Edward turned to face Charlie and Peter's houses, looking between the two with a nostalgic mile. It was dark, being almost midnight, so the warm, flickering glow emanating from the living room window of Charlie's house made him feel at home. Having spent every holiday in England since he was three-years-old Edward felt comfortable standing on the street in which he'd spent a lot of time playing with his friends.

Wistfulness curled in his stomach, Easter egg hunts, joyous summers, Halloween sugar highs, and caroling at Christmas reminding him of the great childhood he'd had thanks to the Swans and the Hales.

Memories of all those thing also reminded him of Scarlett and Rosalie's situation, reminded him that they didn't have any of those things beyond the age of eight.

A gust of wind swept through Percival Road, pushing Edward into action. He hoisted the duffel further up onto his shoulder before walking quietly along the side of the garage to the gate separating the driveway from the back garden. His lips quirked up on one side at the sight of Carl-Roman's miniature slide and sand-pit, both things he'd carved from scratch. The slide was the most difficult, especially when Edward had realized he'd built the frame too big for the plastic chute. Some wooden animals carved into spare off-cuts solved the problem while adding some charm to the piece. Edward was extraordinarily proud of both items.

Walking across the patio, Edward sent up a fervent prayer for Charlie to let him stay the night. It wasn't until he was already on a plane heading for London that he'd had an epiphany. There was no way he'd survive the night in a house with Archie's fiancée, Kristen. From the beginning of their relationship he'd struggled to find an even footing with the woman.

The French doors slid open without a squeak, his flip-flop clad feet making a loud _clack_ as he stepped onto the tiled floor of the kitchen. In the dim light of the solitary lamp in the corner Edward noticed the room hadn't changed a bit since he last visited, just before Christmas. Heavy footsteps on linoleum floors alerted him of someone approaching. He squared his shoulders and smiled weakly just as Charlie appeared in the doorway.

The older man squinted. "Edward? What the heck are you doing creeping in at…midnight?"

"Missed you too, old man."

Charlie snorted, "yeah, sure you did."

"Uh, Archie called."

Immediately, Charlie's eyes visibly teared up, his voice thick when he nodded and said, "I figured. You'd better come in and get comfy, son."

The pair sat at the table until late, or early depending on your viewpoint, drinking coffee and reminiscing, both awed and exhilarated at the thought of Scarlett and Rosalie being rescued after all this time. Nobody had ever said it, but as the years crawled by they'd all known the odds. Knew that with every anniversary of their abduction the chances of the girls being brought home alive were decreasing.

The pair stumbled to their beds – Charlie's upstairs, Edward's the room that had been converted for Carl-Roman when he started having sleepovers – around three a.m., both exhausted.

For the first time in twelve years Charlie didn't dream of his daughter's funeral.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Charlie, the car's here!" Peter yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

A few seconds later Charlie jogged down the stairs, all-but shoving Peter out the door. Edward grinned in wry amusement at the two men as they flew down the path. Archie shook his head beside him, eyes red, smile strained. It wiped the look off Edward's face.

"Hey," he said, clapping a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Everything'll be good, a'ight? Before you know it we'll be back with Scarlett and Rosalie."

Archie breathed long, low, and deep before offering Edward a grateful nod, holding sleeping baby Chase just a little tighter. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

"I'll take care of everything here." He choked out the last couple of words when Charlie came over to say 'goodbye'. "Just bring them back. Bring my sisters back."

For the first time in a long while, when Charlie's eyes met Peter's, they could see mirrored hope. It made their chest feel fuller, backs just a little straighter.

"We will, son. Take care of champ and this little guy."

"Bye Pawpaw! Bye Uncle Peter, an' Uncle Eddie!" Carl-Roman sang from the doorstep then, appeared with an armful of dinosaurs and an Eddie Stobart truck. He stood beside his father and brother to watch Edward climb into the back of the nondescript black van sent to take them to the airport. The driver hesitated long enough to tip his hat to Archie before stepping on it.

A solitary tear rolled down Archie's cheek, dark eyes following the vehicle until it was out of sight.

 **~ oOo ~**

The next hours passed in warp-speed.

Charlie and Peter were so occupied with trying to figure out how this day could have been so insane before seven a.m., they didn't have the wherewithal to pay attention to the scenery shooting by. Edward was the opposite, his eyes fixed on the world on the other side of the tinted windows. It wasn't because of the particularly pretty view, or a fascination with residential areas in South East England, but because, truthfully, he was exhausted. He'd only had a couple hours sleep after a flight that had lost him an hour. Not to mention Charlie's feet clomping down the stairs early that morning. He'd beaten both the birds with their first song and the sun beginning its ascent into the sky.

Over-tired, Edward let his stinging eyes shut, pondering the situation. Archie and his boys would be spending time between his house, Charlie's, and Peter's, where Peter's daughters were staying with their paternal grandparents. Heidi and Pippa were already with Peter's parents, so Peter hadn't had to worry about them that morning when he'd walked over in a hoodie and pale blue plaid pajama bottoms.

Charlie and Peter's Construction firm, SH Construction, would be overseen by the latter's father while they were away.

Shuffling around to get comfortable, Edward recalled Peter's call to his dad earlier on. Once Roy and Mary had been suitably filled in Peter had requested that they kept what they knew to themselves until he knew for sure what was happening. It wasn't just his feelings he had to consider. He didn't want his youngest daughters to ever feel heartbreak, so he'd wait. It was a hard decision to make but in the end, he was certain it was the right one. Until he had more facts Heidi and Pippa didn't need to be worrying.

The houses, when Archie couldn't be there, would be watched over by their neighbors. Alice and Jasper – occupants of one-sixty-one, to the left of Charlie's house, had promised to keep an eye on things. There had been plenty tears shed there, too, when Edward had gone with Archie to fill them in. They had moved in the summer before the girls' disappearance, newly-wed with big dreams and an unblemished world-view. They'd adored the girls, Edward and Archie too, and had even made a hole in their fence to match the one between Charlie and Peter's homes so the children would have a third garden in which to play when they wished. In the time since, they'd welcomed two boys of their own, and couldn't fathom the joy at finding out Scarlett and Rosalie were alive after all these years. They'd promised to do anything they could, and were anxiously awaiting news.

Unsurprisingly, Charlie and Peter's thoughts were in line with Edward's.

Rain pelted the van as it sped down the motorway towards Gatwick, wind howling, heart-beats thundering within. Charlie was hit by a maelstrom of memories. Days before the girls' abduction, Archie had gotten the call he'd been praying for – he'd gotten the job as a lifeguard at the local pool. For weeks after the girls went missing Archie had told Charlie about the nightmares plaguing him, dreams of the girls splashing in the pool, squealing when the wave machine tossed them around.

The screams when it sucked them under and never let them go, Archie unable to move his legs to save them.

Charlie's chest tightened as he remembered his son, so lost without Scarlett and Rosalie. Most boys his age would have hated being followed around by two glittery pink fairies. Not Archie. He loved them both equally, blood relations be damned. They were born a couple of hours apart when he was eight-years-old, old enough to remember the day clearly. Tina had gone into labor two weeks late, and Penelope had insisted on going with her and Peter despite being thirty-eight weeks pregnant herself. Not two hours later Charlie had had to drop Archie with Edward and his aunt and uncle down the street to rush to the hospital.

For the next twenty-four hours Penelope and Tina had alternated between chatting, laughing, and battling contractions in their rooms next-door to one another, often sneaking out when the nurses weren't looking to bundle into one room. At eight a.m. on the twenty-third of March Tina was ready to push. By lunchtime the same day both Scarlett and Rosalie were laying in their respective father's arms swaddled in newly-knitted blankets with caps atop their heads, initials sewn into the hems.

 _It was a sign of things to come,_ Charlie mused ruefully, casting a forlorn glance out of the window as they headed into the terminal where they were due to catch their plane. From the day the pair were born they'd been best friends. Sisters, in their eyes. He knew they always saw each other as more than just friends, their personalities so entwined it was impossible to separate them for long. During their time in school teachers had often made comments in parents' meetings about their inseparability. One had even dared to suggest they be put into different classes. A heated discussion between two angry dads and the headmaster later, and the girls were moved – together, into another teacher's classroom. Nobody would have questioned the bond if they'd been related biologically, so why should people just because they had different surnames, different blood?

The van slowed to a halt. Charlie found himself praying fervently for Scarlett and Rosalie to still be together, for them to have managed to rely on their bond to keep them both strong.

Renewed hope was all he had left.

 **~ oOo ~**

In the departures lounge Charlie, Peter, and Edward listened in horror to their escorting officer, PC Richardson, explaining what he knew. It wasn't a whole lot, but it was enough to send their tempers through the roof, hearts racing.

The girls had been found, but had gotten away in the midst of an explosion on the ranch where they were being held. There was a warrant out for the arrest of the man believed to be responsible, just one of the other crimes he was thought to have committed being human trafficking. It was a possibility the men had considered over the years but never wanted to believe. To even consider their girls being kidnapped to be sold like cattle was enough to bring them to their knees.

PC Richardson, a portly man of around fifty with gray hair, a round face, and pale blue eyes, explained that there were agents specializing in this kind of case on the hunt for Scarlett and Rosalie all over Montana.

Currently, the FBI weren't sharing much information with the British police, PC Richardson grumpily informed them, but he promised to share anything he received. It was a comfort but painful at the same time. What dad wants to hear that their twenty-one-year old daughter is out in the Montana wilderness with only a friend for company and protection? That wasn't even mentioning the lack of information on the girls' physical or emotional states.

Then men's discussion was interrupted by a woman calling for all business class passengers to begin boarding. Hoisting duffels over their shoulders, Charlie, Peter, and Edward shared a tremulous smile before following PC Richardson onto the first of three places which would, hopefully, reunite them with their girls.

 **~ oOo ~**

The flight from Gatwick to New York was horrific. Unexpected turbulence meant nobody was allowed to stand for more than a few minutes at a time before the seatbelt lights flashed on. Charlie and Peter spent the entire journey thinking of worst-case scenarios for what they may be faced with in the coming days, each one more painful than the last. The worst by far was the one in which they got there too late, the girls lost once again.

The dull roar of the jumbo jet engines along with the other passengers was enough to keep out the heart-stopping reality – the girls they got back, if they got them back, wouldn't be the same girls they'd sent off to school twelve years before.

They'd sound different. Act different. _Look_ different.

In Charlie and Peter's minds they were still the bubbly eight-year-old girls obsessed with pink and princesses and fairy wands that they'd always been.

When Charlie thought of Scarlett he saw rosy cheeks, a toothy grin, and his late wife's untamable curls in the same shade as his own.

Peter imagined his eldest daughter with short, wavy red-blonde hair, two missing teeth in the front of her mouth, and a baby doll on her hip, always.

It hadn't settled in, for either of them, that when... _if_ …they got their girls back, they wouldn't be the same.

During the flight, in-aircraft WiFi allowed PC Richardson to check in with his colleagues. He updated the men, unsurprised to note that his news of a witness being placed into WitSec garnered thoughtful, slightly shocked expressions. They wondered what part this witness could have played in the girls' lives, whether he or she was on their side, or the side of the suspect. It was just another thought of many driving them mad with nervous anticipation on the way into New York.

Peter gazed out of the window at the clouds around them, feeling every bit as terrified as he had all the times the police thought they'd found a trail only for it to turn out to be nothing, or for it to run cold. Since his phone rang with Riley Lawrence on the other end his heart hadn't returned to its normal rhythm, his body tight as though it was a string being stretched taut with every mile he travelled. Instead of loosening as the miles were eaten away by the enormous place the string was stretched further, every second bringing them closer and closer to the make or break meeting with the faceless FBI agent.

Their worry had only increased since PC Richardson admitted the girls were AWOL.

Scarlett and Rosalie were out there, alone, and nobody knew where they were or what sort of state they were in after the explosion. Peter couldn't be sure, because it was a long time ago that he was in school and geography wasn't his favorite subject anyway, but he was fairly confident there were all kinds of dangerous animals roaming Montana. Images of crazed, foaming-at-the-mouth bears with slashing claws bulldozed through his head, the snarling of rabid wolves hot on their heels when a crackling voice came through the overhead speakers.

" _Could everyone please ensure that their seatbelts are fastened and secure for our descent into JFK. It's three-twenty local time and a cool sixty degrees. We hope you've enjoyed flying with us…_ "

Peter's light green eyes met Charlie's blue-green in the adjacent seat, longing, fear, and terror very much prevalent in both sets. Above all, though, they clung to their hope as the jet carried them down towards New York and the answers they were waiting for.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Charlie, Peter."

The men stared at the agent standing before them in the arrivals hall. He had short, sandy brown hair and ice blue eyes, his posture confident, head held high, expression bordering on excited. The lines around his eyes told tales of sleepless night and hard work while the grin on his face screamed delight at the recent developments. Riley Lawrence was about three inches taller than both Charlie and Peter, putting him at about six-two, the same height as Edward. Something about his eyes intimidated them.

Charlie nodded in greeting, shaking the proffered hand before Peter did the same, then Edward.

"It's good to meet you. This is Edward Cullen, my boy's friend, a close friend of the family."

Edward and Riley shared a nod as they shook hands, then the agent stepped back to greet the officer escorting them.

"PC Richardson, I presume. Do you have the paperwork I requested? Thank you."

PC Richardson didn't hesitate to slide a folder from the bag slung around his shoulders, handing it over to Riley as they began discussing transport arrangements. Instead of looking through the folder like Charlie, Peter, and Edward expected, Riley simply tucked it into a bag of his own before leading the party through the throngs of people. "We have a car waiting. Myself and my team will fill you in as best we can before the next flight."

His explanation was swift, his tone curt, as they marched through the sea of people.

Charlie spotted a man cradling his baby daughter, a woman beaming at them from close by. It put a lump in his throat he couldn't swallow.

"When you get to my office you're going to hear things that will upset you." Riley pauses his quick strides to look between Charlie, Peter, and Edward simultaneously. "Can I trust you to keep your calm as much as possible? Any delays could make a huge difference to how this plays out."

It took less than a second for the three men to nod in agreement. As much as they knew it would kill them to hear details of the girls' disappearance and the lost twelve years between then and now, the thought of hindering the investigation was abhorrent. It would break them.

"Good." Riley resumed his fast pace.

When the men reached the waiting car outside, four of them hopped in quickly – PC Richardson left in a car of his own. The black car melted into the traffic before they could blink.

"This is my driver, John. You remember his face, you remember his voice, ok? You want your girls back, eyes?"

He received vehement nods, chuckling ruefully like he expected them, and pulled the pale yellow manila folder from his bag.

"All right. If you do everything we ask you to, I'll do everything in my power to get them back to you. Wherever they're hiding, we'll find them."

Despite having spoken to this man a total of two times, meeting him for the first time just fifteen minutes previous, Charlie, Peter, and Edward couldn't help but trust him. It was pure gut instinct, but what else did they have?

"I don't think you understand. We'll _do anything_ , Mr. Lawrence. Anything at all to get our girls back." Peter said firmly.

Riley's eyes met his for a beat, lips twitching upwards just a touch. "Call me 'Riley'. I think we're past the formalities."

With that, he cast his eyes down to the information in his hands, the details of the British police's case, and they stayed that way until John pulled up outside the FBI headquarters. Security guards signed them all in, then Riley led the trio through what seemed like endless corridors and elevators until they finally arrived at a pair of heavy wooden doors. After warning them that the room on the other side would likely be mayhem, Riley ushered them through.

He was correct.

The entire section was alive with loud chatter into phones and headsets, the sound of many fingers beating keyboards so thunderous that Edward had to stop himself from covering his ears. It was then, standing amidst the center of the investigation, that Charlie realized just how _big_ this was, not just for him and Peter, but for the world. When Scarlett and Rosalie went missing their faces had been on the news on and off for months. It got so bad one day Peter removed all the TVs from his and Charlie's house and they didn't return for over six months. The expansive news coverage the case had had was brilliant in terms to spreading awareness, but it didn't make the family's lives any easier seeing their much-missed girls plastered across TV screens every few hours, day after day, week after week. The newspapers were the same.

"Come on, we've got some things to show you before we make a move." Riley moved through the chaos without pause. Hesitant, Charlie, Peter, and Edward followed. When they reached the large area at the back of the room where boards were covered in photographs and spidery writing with key information beside them, Charlie felt his stomach churn in revolt.

Right in the center was an unfamiliar picture of Scarlett and Rosalie.

In the twelve years they'd been missing, he and Peter had spent countless hours scouring photos of their girls. They'd seen them all. Run their fingers over their cheeks, their hair, their smiles. But not this one.

It was the most recent photo of them, taken just a day before the ranch blew up. In this picture Scarlett's hair was longer, curlier, slightly darker, and Rosalie's face had lost that baby-roundness she'd carried as an eight-year-old.

Charlie's fingertips traced Scarlett's too-slender cheekbone, nausea punching him square in the gut the moment he spotted the tiny pink line above her left eyebrow. A scar. One he'd never seen before, never kissed better after a football accident with her brother, or a bump after falling down.

"Charlie, sit down a minute," peter urged softly, a hand on his best friend's shoulder, the other clenched in a white-knuckled fist at his side. He too had spotted the photo, but his immediate concern was Charlie, and the fact that he looked about ready to rage at anything and everything. "Let Riley explain, ok?"

Inhaling deeply, Charlie allowed Peter to guide him into a chair, Edward catching Peter's pointed look and moving to flank him just in case. Around them, agents had realized who they were, had stopped to look at the broken fathers whose girls they'd been working hard to find. For the parents among them it was a startling look into the reality of what abduction did to people. _This_ was why they did the job they'd chosen. Why they poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their work.

"This picture was taken by an undercover agent recently. We didn't know then that these girls were your daughters, though we'd started to suspect," Riley exhaled, knowing he might have two, possibly three, irate six-foot men on his hands at any given moment. One quick glance behind them assured him that he'd have backup.

Riley turned to a large, free-standing whiteboard to point to the images of a fair-to-gray haired man and a woman stuck side-by-side.

"Three months ago I planted two agents on a ranch in the south of Montana. They're two of the best, quick-witted and sharp as a tack. I trust them implicitly."

Charlie and Peter nodded stiffly. Edward marveled at his surroundings, at the crime movie set come to life.

"I can't share details of any other case regarding the suspect, _but I can_ say we first believed his family may be involved somehow. We now know we were not only incorrect, but he also doesn't have a family, as such.

His hand moved to the right, where he placed his fingertip on the edge of a mug-shot. Instinctively the men knew who they were looking at. They froze, eyes fixed to the six-by-four of the gray-brown haired, hazel-eyed scum.

This was the man who'd made their lives hell.

And then, something nobody could have predicted. Charlie's eyes sharpened with recognition.

Riley, Peter, Edward, and the two agents hovering nearby stared at Charlie. His lips moved into a scowl, the cogs of his mind almost audibly whirring as he tried to place the face.

"No…" he finally whispered. "No!"

The eruption was sudden. He stood so quickly that his chair flew backwards onto the navy carpet with a thud. Heart shooting off at a sprint, eyes wide and chest rumbling with a furious, animalistic growl, he roared, "it can't be!"

Anguish washed over him thick and impervious, warring against fear and confusion. The ear-splitting wave of memories and thoughts assaulting him made Charlie's head feel like it was going to implode. The agents surrounding the volatile man looked to their boss for instruction. Riley eyed Charlie, then the photo of the suspect.

"'It can't be', what?" He asked. Riley tore down the photo, taking two large steps to land him toe-to-toe with Charlie. With every deep, fury-riddled breath Charlie's chest almost brushed his, eyes not quite level but fierce in their intensity. "Charlie. 'It can't be', what? What can't it be?" A thought sprung to mind. "Do you know this man? Charlie!"

"Yes! Yes, I know him. Or I did, years ago." Agents watched as Charlie fumbled his wallet from his pocket and pulled a worn photo from the clear sleeve. Riley's eyes widened as soon as he laid eyes on it, two familiar people in the center, as well as one who looked eerily similar to…

"That's me, and that's him. My wife is in the back row, third from left."

"I see that." Riley scanned the photo, seeing a much younger Charlie standing tall and proud with a mischievous grin on his youthful face. Then he eyed the suspect beside him, and the oddly familiar blonde teenager in the corner. "This is your wife?" He asked for clarification, disbelieving his own sight because it he hadn't known better he'd have been certain it was Scarlett standing in the back of this forty-year-old picture.

"Yes," Charlie's voice softened noticeably. "She died in ninety-nine. A collision with a drunk driver. Pete's wife…she was in the car, too."

Riley's mind flew off with this new information. Charlie and his late wife attended school with the man responsible for the kidnap of his daughter and the daughter of his best friend – coincidence? His rarely-wrong intuition told Riley it wasn't.

"Did you and he get along? Were you friends, acquaintances? Enemies?"

Charlie scoffed. "He was weird. Always following Penelope, that's my wife, around. She hated him, said he freaked her out. She was always nice to him, though. She couldn't be nasty to anyone if she tried. I never spoke to him other than to tell him to leave her alone. When me and Penelope started dating he stopped bugging her and left well alone."

"Did you see him after you left school?" Riley waved someone over, a man wearing a bright pink shirt with piercings in both ears and his nose. "Write this all down, Johnny. Did you ever see him again at all? College?"

"No, never."

"All right. Please excuse me for a moment."

Before Charlie could blink Riley had turned on his heel and was striding purposefully towards an office with his name emblazoned on a gold plaque adorning the door. Charlie sank into the chair somebody had righted, breathing as though he'd just run a marathon. As the residual adrenaline leaked from his body he looked up to Peter, eyes so heart-wrenchingly sad that his friend found it difficult to meet them.

"It was _him_ , Pete. _Smith_ ," he spat the man's name coated in venom, "is responsible for all this."

Peter and Charlie had been friends since they were teenagers. They'd struck up a friendship despite their six year age gap and it had lasted a lifetime. It was through Charlie and Penelope that Peter had met Tina. The women wound up working together at a nursery while Charlie and Peter began their own construction business. Archie and Scarlett had been christened as Peter and Tina's godchildren just as their three daughters had become Charlie and Penelope's.

As Charlie glared hatefully at the photo of the FBIs suspect he found himself questioning every decision, everything he'd said. In a startling, terror-filled moment the agonized father wondered _is this my fault? Could I have stopped this? Did I provoke him?_

"Stop beating yourself up, Chuck. It's not worth blaming yourself. It's not your fault. We need to concentrate on getting our girls back."

Saying the words felt surreal, because though he'd wanted it for so long, it had never been so close. In all the time the girls had been missing their goal had been to get them back safe and sound, but there had always been a niggling worry.

They might not.

Their case could have been one of those remaining unsolved. Their daughters might _never_ have been found. There was also the very real fear the girls would come home, but not alive _or_ well – a notion nobody allowed themselves to dwell on.

 **~ oOo ~**

For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening Charlie, Peter, Riley, Edward, and another agent – the pink-clad man named Johnny – spent time going over every new detail. The link between the suspect and the victims' family threw a completely different spin on the investigation. A far more personal spin than they had anticipated. They also discovered a possible, albeit tenuous, motive. With Charlie's limited memory of Garrett Smith from their school years they uncovered a strange obsession with his late wife. The connections the FBI had were unprecedented and they managed to access records of therapy sessions he'd attended briefly during his final year at school. It wasn't strictly legal, but Riley was keeping it on the down-low and had made the men promise to never breathe a word of his actions.

According to the notes, he spoke often of a 'P.E', although he never mentioned who he or she was to him or their full name. Now, it was obvious. He also showed signs of mental instability, something Charlie, Peter, and Edward didn't want to hear. It put all sorts of things in their minds, not least shooting the scar on Scarlett's face to the forefront of Charlie's.

Could _he_ be the one responsible for the mark on his daughter's once-flawless face? The idea was chilling.

Riley showed the men more pictures taken by his undercover agent on the ranch. It was Charlie's birthday the day before, over twenty-four hours now since the ranch had exploded into a fireball of debris. Two shocked father and one proud childhood friend learned of Scarlett and Rosalie's bravery in using a ranch hand's truck to get away, and they were relieved to finally discover who the man under the agents' protection was – the man who'd helped them.

Air crackled around the group as Riley showed them a candid shot of a silhouette in the window in the dead of night. It was taken from a fair distance and was slightly blurred by sheets of rain, but the shape of a woman in the darkened room was clearly visible. The soft glow of her hair said it was more than lightly Scarlett, the coloring only just too light to be Rosalie's, though they couldn't be a hundred percent sure because of the poor photo quality.

Although, Riley hesitated as he sighed and pointed to the silhouette again, drawing attention to the lump at her side. Charlie and Edward leaned closer, Peter hanging back a little, frowning.

"What is it? She's holding something?" Charlie asked, peering up at Riley from beneath knotted brows.

Riley wore an impassive expression, though inside he was feeling far from impassive.

"I have something to tell you, Charlie. Something that you might find shock—"

"Sir! I've got an agent on line one, needs to speak to you. It's urgent!" Someone hollered from the chaos.

Riley's head snapped in their direction, and clearly he knew the distinct voice because he apologized and told the trio of confused men to wait before disappearing into the melee.

While they waited, Edward held the photo up to his face, trying to make out the grainy shapes. It was almost definitely Scarlett. But what was that she was holding? It looked lumpy, possibly a pillow or stuffed toy?

But no…it appeared to be wrapped around her, maybe?

Edward shook his head and huffed, annoyed.

As he did so the bright lights above caught the photo just right, and he thought…he thought he saw a small face. Twisting it this way and that, his heart began to race, and he felt sweat slickening his hands.

"Charlie…Charlie look. I think…I think this is…"

"All right I'm getting us on an earlier plane. I need you to grab your stuff and get moving." Riley blew through the small area they'd taken over like a whirlwind, scooping sheaths of paper into an open messenger bag before shooting Charlie, Peter, and Edward the stink-eye. "Are you coming?"

They leapt to action, tugging on coats and stumbling over each other to follow Riley. They all-but ran through the FBI building, all three British men relatively fit but panting by the time they fell into the back seat of John's black car as it joined the flow of traffic effortlessly.

"What's going on?"

"That thing I needed to tell you about that I thought you'd find shocking? It'll be easier if I just show you, I think." With that, Riley fished his high-tech phone from his wool coat pocket, pressing a few buttons and zooming in on something before hesitating for a beat. He peered at Charlie, seeming to be assessing him. "I need you to understand, we don't have any answers for you regarding this just yet, but we're working on it, ok?"

Charlie looked to his best friend, who nodded reassuringly despite his worry, and to Edward, who shot him a small smile and gestured for him to take the phone being held out to him. Inhaling a deep breath, he nodded and reached out a shaky hand. He kept his eyes on Riley until the phone was facing him, but as soon as his eyes fell to the screen his mind went black.

He saw the curl to her hair, though it was the wrong color.

He saw the button nose he remembered all-too-well, the curve of cheeks he'd kissed goodnight so many times, but not enough.

He saw beautiful, bright eyes in the face of an angelic child.

His eyes. The eyes he'd only ever seen on him and his baby girl. They were right there, in the face of this tiny girl.

"Who? Who, who is this? What's going on?"

"Her name is Marley. She's five-years-old, apparently, and she was left at a medical center an hour ago in central Montana. We have strong reason to believe that she's your granddaughter, Charlie. She's Scarlett's daughter."


	10. Chapter Nine

**~ oOo ~**

OK, quick thing - I'm thinking about disabling guest reviews,  
purely because I'm getting a little annoyed with a certain few  
making comments I'd love to respond to and talk about but can't.  
If you have a question and want to word it rudely, at least allow me  
the chance to respond.

One thing I will address is this - The way Scarlett sees it, Marley is  
only a target as long as she's with her and Rosalie, because Garrett  
likes to pretend she doesn't exist. She's hoping it will operate on an  
out of sight, out of mind scenario. If she's not there, he won't think  
about her because he never did before when they were at the ranch.

Also, why would I purposefully try to make people mad at me? Craziness.

Anyways... **I'M SORRY, THIS IS ANOTHER CLIFFIE, BUT I  
PLAN TO POST THE FOLLOW-ON CHAPTER TOMORROW SO  
YOU WON'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT. IF YOU WANT TO WAIT UNTIL  
TOMORROW TO READ IT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND :)**

It was a monster chapter already, so I didn't want to chop the next one  
in half and mess with the whole structure, so I'll post the two parts over  
two days rather than making you wait until Friday. Hope that's ok.

 **~ oOo ~**

 ****** FIC REC - Trainwreque's The Bookkeeper ******

CIA agent Bella Swan lives a meticulous, by-the-book life. Her world is turned upside down after she's given a high profile case. Does she tell the truth, or does she continue to lie to the man she's fallen in love with in order to bring down one of the worlds biggest crime bosses? AH. Rated M.

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Nine**

Sinking. That's what she was. Scarlett was sinking.

She'd thought she'd be ok. She thought she'd be able to drop Marley safe and sound with a healthcare professionals and it would all be fine. Marley would be able to give them the note, and she'd be able to concentrate on sorting this mess, on working out if they'd ever be able to go home to join her precious baby.

She'd been wrong.

She couldn't eat. She couldn't sleep. All she did all day and night was empty her stomach into a bucket, rinsing and repeating only to feel the nausea taking over once again a short while later. Eventually it was just bile and it burned her throat on the way up, each time more painful. She laid on the bed, shivering, as mute as her daughter and wracked with painful sobs. Nothing Rosalie did helped.

Scarlett had been wrong. She couldn't deal with being away from her baby. But she'd made that decision for Marley. Not herself. And boy, was she paying for it.

 **~ oOo ~**

On arrival in Billings, Montana, there was yet another nondescript black car with tinted windows to take the group to the prearranged hotel. En-route Riley took a phone call from a colleague. He barked a new set of directions to the driver, then informed Charlie, Peter, and Edward that the girls were still AWOL, but there had been a possible sighting of the truck they made their getaway in. Agents were already following it up.

As Riley said, no news, in this instance, probably meant good news.

Bypassing the hotel entirely, Riley had John take them straight to the medical center where the child had been left. Nobody said a word until they got there, but as they walked up the steps, Charlie paused, bending and holding onto his knees.

"Hold on, I need…I need a second."

Riley nodded sympathetically, and Edward moved to rest a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Chuck, you ok?"

Charlie huffed, the sound full of a myriad of emotions. "I don't know, son. This is all so…"

"Crazy?" Edward supplied.

With a nod, Charlie stood shakily, hands clenched at his sides. "A few days ago I didn't know if I'd ever get to see my daughter again, and today I could be a hundred meters from her. And to top it all off I've just been told I've got a…a granddaughter."

Clearly choked up, and struggling to pull himself together, the men were still standing outside a few minutes later when a woman with long blonde hair and a friendly smile walked through the doors.

"Hello, are you Mr. Lawrence?"

Peter shook his head, nodding towards Riley as he stepped forward, palm outstretched.

"That'd be me. You must be Mandy." He turned to point to Charlie, Peter, and Edward out, naming them as he went. "Charlie's the grandfather you said is mentioned in the note."

Mandy smiled in greeting, her expression turning soft and sad at the mention of Marley. "Your assistant told me you'd be coming. I didn't expect you to be able to get here so quickly."

"We were already on our way," Riley admitted, edging towards the doors to the building. "Shall we get inside? Charlie, are you ready?"

What a big question. Charlie steeled himself as best he could, looking to Peter and Edward to draw some much-needed encouragement from their faces before nodding jerkily.

"Of course, come on through. Did you have a good flight?"

As Riley and Mandy exchanged pleasantries, Charlie, Peter, and Edward trailed behind them, each lost in their own thoughts.

Peter was worried for his friend, and for the sad-looking child he'd seen in the single photo Riley had.

Charlie was petrified of what he was about to see, of _who_ he was about to see. He'd been the proudest man alive when Carl-Roman and Chase were born. This child, his grandchild, was five-years-old and he'd only just discovered she existed.

Edward's thoughts had wandered to a place his older friends were vehemently refusing to think of. If Scarlett had a child, that meant she'd had sex. They already knew, thanks to reports of visible injuries Riley's agents had reported, that Garrett had hurt Scarlett. Would it be such a big stretch to assume he might have committed the ultimate crime against a woman? To assume that this girl, who so clearly belonged to Scarlett, also belonged to the man who'd torn apart the two families she'd been born into?

Edward couldn't bear to think of the girl he remembered being hurt in any way, so he shoved those thoughts from his mind just as Mandy paused outside a clinic room door. She looked between Riley, and the other three men.

"I don't know how you want to do this. We need a DNA sample from you, Charlie, just to test against the sample we already have from Marley. She's very scared, and so far she hasn't spoken to anybody. It says in the note she had with her that she doesn't speak but we don't know if that's _at all, ever_ or just in scary situations, which obviously this is for her."

"I'm going to need that note, please. How many people have touched it?" Riley asked sternly.

"Just me and Marley. I put it in a sterile bag when I realized what was going on, I'll fetch it for you."

Riley grinned, pleased. "Thank you."

"Ok, are we ready? You ready to meet your granddaughter, Charlie?"

Charlie made a funny noise in the back of his throat, but he managed a short dip of his head, so Mandy pushed the door open, leading the men inside.

The girl was sitting in the corner of the room by the solitary window. There was a chair right beside her but she was sitting cross-legged on the floor, stretching her neck up to be able to peer out of the window. In her lap she held a tattered bunny toy, her fingers kneading it, up and down the ears.

All eyes swiveled to Charlie as he took a step further into the room.

He was staring, transfixed. His gaze swept over the mane of chocolate curls adorning the child's head, a frown twisting his brow when he saw her skinny arms and legs. They weren't scarily thin, but she didn't appear to have an ounce of baby fat on her like Carl-Roman did. For a five-year-old she looked much older, her profile not rounded like her cousin's. She was dressed in a dark gray tracksuit, tiny feet encased in a pair of black trainers. She was miniature, like a little doll. Charlie had never seen a child of her age so small. Her year-older-cousin Carl-Roman would dwarf her.

The air in the room seemed to thin as Mandy called out to Marley in a soft voice. The child's head turned as if in slow motion.

The first thing they all noticed immediately were her eyes. Big, guileless sea-colored eyes.

Charlie's eyes.

And as she peered between Mandy and the four strangers, shrinking back slightly, she passed over Charlie before her gaze snapped back to him. She squinted, leaning forwards a little. It was obvious she recognized the similarities in her features and his – namely, their shared eye color. She began to stare, and just as it looked as though she was going to stand, possibly to come closer, she was shocked back onto her butt and scooted back into the corner as far as possible from the crowd in the doorway.

None of the men were quick enough to catch Charlie as the events of the day became too much, the air in his lungs escaping in a rush as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed in a heap on the tiled floor.

 **~ oOo ~**

"I feel like a bloody idiot."

"Don't, Chuck, it's not your fault. You've been through a lot these past couple of days, it's no surprise," Peter assured his upset friend.

Charlie harrumphed, eyes softening as he raised the cigarette in his hand to his lips. He hadn't smoked in years, but shortly after they'd left the medical center an hour before he'd asked Riley if he could get an agent to grab him some cigarettes, and he'd spent the past half hour on the balcony of the hotel room Riley had booked.

Inside, he could see Marley and Edward. The little girl, his granddaughter, was sitting on the floor with her stuffed bunny and a sandwich the agent had picked up when he went for the cigarettes. She hadn't touched it at all. Instead, she'd just alternated between staring out of the balcony doors and sneaking peeks at Edward, who'd sat himself on the loveseat and allowed himself to get engrossed with watching the FBIs tech guru get himself set up in the corner. So far, nobody had been able to get a word out of Marley, so they were beginning to suspect that the note had meant she didn't talk at all.

Remembering the note, Charlie felt his anger rising back to the surface. Once he'd come to, embarrassed and annoyed with himself for frightening Marley, Charlie had been allowed to read the note she'd been given when Scarlett and Rosalie dropped her off. It had made him irate.

 _Dear whoever finds this note,_

 _This is Marley, and she's five-years-old. I'm writing this note and I'm Isabella Scarlett Swan, Marley's mum, and I was kidnapped with my friend Rosalie Daisy Hale when we were eight years old by a man called Garrett Smith. Marley's biological father's name is Marcus Lucien. He worked on the ranch where Garrett has kept me and Rosalie for the past twelve years. We managed to escape but Garrett is still looking for us and Marley isn't safe with us, so please do me this favor and contact my dad, Charlie Swan, in Eastbourne, England, or Rosalie's dad Peter Hale – also from Eastbourne. She'll be safe with them. I don't know if the police are still or were ever looking for us, but if they were they'll be able to help you find my dad._

 _I'm trusting you with my baby, so please make sure she's safe. Thank you._

 _Scarlett Swan._

Charlie's eyes welled up, picturing the way his daughter's name had been written shakily and blurred by a handful of spots of moisture at the bottom of the photo. She'd been crying. And was it any wonder? She was a mother – it was still crazy to think of his baby having a baby herself – and she was going through the same thing he was, though in her case it was voluntary because she wanted her baby safe and protected.

She'd managed to fit that entire passage on the back of a six-by-four photography by writing very small and with the words squashed together, but there was still so much he wanted to know. About Marley, about the girl's father. He wanted to know if this Marcus Lucien was still alive, because if he was Charlie would kill him. He'd tear him limb from limb for daring to touch his baby girl.

Nobody had been able to hide the facts from their faces as realization had dawned. There was no doubt Marley was Scarlett's. She looked exactly like her, hair color aside. And from the note they'd received from Marley they knew she was five-years-old.

And Scarlett was just twenty-one a month ago. Which meant they couldn't deny the uncomfortable truth.

Scarlett could only have been sixteen at the oldest when she'd given birth to Marley.

So yes, Charlie would love to get hold of Marcus Lucien. He'd never been a violent man. This entire ordeal was changing that.

"Why do you think they did it?" Charlie asked suddenly.

Peter pulled his gaze from the distance to look at him. "Did what? Left Marley at the hospital?"

Charlie nodded grimly.

"I don't know. I guess…well, they wanted her to be safe and they obviously didn't think she'd be safe if she stayed with them. I don't know why they didn't just stay with her though, and come back to us with them. That part I can't make head nor tail of."

Charlie couldn't either. He couldn't understand why Scarlett and Rosalie had chosen to stay hidden when they could finally have been found. They could have been protected, too. They would have been safe. But they'd chosen to stay lost and it didn't make sense. Not to their fathers, nor to Edward, or Riley.

"They must have their reasons, I suppose."

The men slipped into silence once more, both staring out over the landscape below. They were on the top floor of a fairly shitty hotel, but Riley had explained to them the reason for staying somewhere like that was because it would be easier to hide there. Nobody would be looking for the FBI in a dingy hotel like this one, if anybody were looking at all.

A few minutes later, Charlie cast a look inside, unable to keep his eyes away from Marley for longer than a handful of minutes at a time. He just couldn't believe his own sight.

The view that greeted him this time made him grin despite himself.

Marley had obviously grown curious enough of Edward and Ben – the FBI tech guy – to leave her spot on the carpet. She'd edged closer to them in the corner, Edward having had joined Ben to better see what he was up to. The bunny she hadn't once let go of was still firmly in her clutches, but was now hanging at her side as she slinked nearer to Edward and Ben. She had to stretch a little to see them better, and the sight was an adorable on as she rose onto tiptoes to watch what the men were up to.

Charlie saw the moment Edward noticed her. He didn't outwardly acknowledge her, not really, but he did smile to himself and adjust his stance so she could see more. As the next few minutes passed Charlie watched her creep around the end table until she was just scant feet from Edward. Through the thin patio doors he listened to what was being said, motioning for Peter to do the same.

"Are you ok, sweetness?" He murmured when she was just a foot or two away.

Marley's eyes flashed to him, her steps faltering. She didn't realize she'd been caught.

Remembering too late that she didn't speak, he crouched a little so they were closer to eye-level, smiling gently. "Do you want to come and watch us? It's ok, nobody here will hurt you, little sweet."

Marley seemed to consider this for a moment. Charlie held his breath. She hadn't willingly gone to anyone yet, not that he knew. Mandy had told them that when she'd tried to pick her up earlier the little girl had struggled so much she'd been afraid of dropping her, and she'd had to point out the way to the clinic room where she'd been waiting. When it had come time to leave the medical center she'd walked of her own accord to the waiting black car at the back of the building, and walked into the hotel the same way – protected by a square of men around her as she went.

With a proud smile tinged with a small amount of jealousy, Charlie watched as Marley visibly steeled herself and made her decision. She held out her skinny arms, the bunny still dangling from one tiny hand, allowing Edward to pick her up and hold her at his hip. She settled there with a look of hesitance on her face, and held herself away from his body as he pointed out all the various pieces of equipment Ben had already laid out. She seemed pleased to be included, though the morose look on her face didn't dissipate. Not wanting to miss out on the chance to see Marley livening up, Charlie stubbed out his cigarette and tossed it into the rubbish bin beside the plastic chair his butt had molded to, wandering inside with a squeak of the patio doors behind him.

As soon as she spotted him, Marley's face changed. She shrunk into herself, and tucked her body into the curve of Edward's chest until her face was buried in his neck, though she was still peering out through the curtain of her hair. Charlie's stomach fell. He'd scared her by fainting earlier, that much was clear.

And he knew he'd messed up when reading the note left by Scarlett. Despair had gotten the best of him and he'd hit the table with a balled-up fist just as Mandy ushered Marley into the room after a trip to the toilet. She'd squealed in fright, and hadn't come anywhere close to him since.

"She's ok, Chuck, she's just overwhelmed, I think. This is all a bit much for her," Edward murmured.

"Well she's ok with _you_ ," Charlie waved a desolate hand towards her, cuddled into him. It should be him soothing her. He was her grandfather. Her Pawpaw, if she chose to use the same name as Carl-Roman. That's if she did speak. Obviously it wouldn't matter what he was referred to if she continued being mute.

"I think I can solve that," Ben interjected. He'd been quiet up till then, just observing. When all eyes swiveled to him he grinned toothily. "I think it freaks her out to see the similarities between you and her mom. Your eyes and hair, possibly some of your facial expressions. Edward doesn't look anything like her, and there's no pressure with him. Kids are mega intuitive, you know, so she probably realizes that it' different with you."

The three men soaked up Ben's words, all silent.

They couldn't deny that of all of them, Marley had reacted the strongest to Charlie. She'd been a curious mix of frightened and inquisitive when she first saw him, and if he hadn't inadvertently frightened her by fainting, who knew what she'd have done when she'd made to move closer back in that clinic.

"So, you think I should stop trying to push it and let her come to me?" Charlie asked, eyes darting backwards and forwards between Marley resting her head in Edward's neck, and Ben.

The FBI agent gave him a nod-shrug combo. "I don't know what to suggest, Sir, but that'd be the way I'd go. She's clearly curious about you, but for whatever reason she's latched onto Edward here. I'd say let her explore what she's comfortable with. She'll come to you, in her own time."

"Ok," Charlie sighed. "Ok."

Nobody mentioned it, but the dejection in his tone was palpable.

 **~ oOo ~**

Everybody made themselves as comfortable as possible at the hotel to wait the search out. Charlie, Peter, and Edward had originally asked to be able to put their feet to the ground and help, so it had been explained in explicit detail how reckless it would have been for them do to so, especially considering one very important fact. Well, two.

One; Smith was still on the loose somewhere.

And two; every time Edward left the room, Marley would search frantically for him until he returned.

Clearly, they both meant nobody was keen for the men to leave the hotel, and so they didn't.

To distract themselves, Charlie and Peter called home to Archie, Heidi, Pippa, and Peter's parents, while Edward worked hard to buoy his friends' spirits as well as help Marley adjust to her new surroundings.

By the time night fell, the jet lag and exhaustion of the day had caught up to the two older men, dragging them into a sleep haunted by the girls' faces hovering just out of reach.

While they fidgeted restlessly in their beds, Edward sat on the sofa in the small living area, the tap of Ben's laptop keys comforting in the otherwise quiet room. Marley was sitting on the floor over by the patio doors, her bunny tucked under one arm, her face resting in her cupped hands as she leant on them, elbows propped on her crossed knees. The position didn't look very comfortable but by then she'd been sitting that way for almost forty minutes, so it couldn't have been too bad. She was silent, as usual, but Edward suspected she was getting tired as she'd stopped her incessant fiddling with the bunny's ears to stare out of the doors instead, her head lolling to one side just a touch.

"Marley, are you sleepy?" He called when the small digital clock on the end table read 21:44. He didn't spent a whole lot of time around children, but he didn't think quarter to ten was a particularly normal time for a five-year-old to still be up.

Marley turned her head a little, peering at him from the corner of her eye. To say she was comfortable around Edward wasn't completely true, but she at least didn't seem to be as wary as she was around Riley, Charlie, or Peter. Edward classed it as a win, purely because it meant the little girl could at least find comfort somewhere in this strange, fucked-up situation she was in. He couldn't comprehend how scared she must be. All those strange faces, unfamiliar places.

Edward smiled, cocking his head and opening his arms in invitation. "Do you want to come sit with me? We can watch TV for a little bit 'til you fall asleep."

Marley frowned, but she rose slowly to her feet and made her way over, letting him set her on the sofa beside him. She held the bunny with its back to her front, staring up at Edward as he smiled down at her and reached for the TV remote. It was only a small screen, but he hoped it would be enough to send her to sleep so she could get some rest and sleep off the hard day she'd had.

"Now, let's see what we can get, huh?"

Marley stared blankly at him. He chuckled, shaking his head and switching on the TV set. As soon as the screen flashed to life he was forgotten, Marley's focus shifted completely. She was riveted by the moving colors and patterns as a smartly dressed woman presented the nightly weather report. Edward couldn't help but stare at her face. It seemed ludicrous to him, but within ten minutes after Marley had refused to move her gaze from the TV set even once, he was sure she was seeing a television for the first time. She was engrossed. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. She appeared utterly bemused, unwilling to look away for even a second.

He'd heard all about kids addicted to their shows, but this was something different.

Pulling his mobile from his pocket, Edward sneakily took a few photos of Marley's face and the TV, then he sat back and gently touched Marley's shoulder. It took a minute or so, then she twisted to look up at him. Her eyes were comically wide, alight with the glow of a child learning her new world. He couldn't help but grin at the sight.

"Shall we try and lay down? Get some sleep?"

It definitely couldn't be said that Marley was silly, or didn't understand speech. As soon as the word 'sleep' left Edward's mouth her saw the first sign of her being a normal five-year-old. She scowled, shooting the TV – which had now segued into a cookery show – a pointed look before peering back up at Edward in entreaty. She may not have verbalized it but her request was clear. She wanted to watch TV. And Edward couldn't bear to say no to a child who had been through the stress she had, so he sighed and decided to bargain with her.

"Tell you what little sweet, you can watch more TV _if_ you lay down and try to sleep, at least. Ok?"

Marley moved right away, shuffling around until she was comfortable resting her head on a pillow against the side of Edward's leg. She was a tiny little thing so she stretched out comfortable within the two thirds left of the sofa beside him, bunny tucked against her chest, eyes firmly trained on the TV set once more. Edward couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself, getting comfortable for a night on the sofa. He'd slept in far more uncomfortable places while travelling, so it didn't bother him in the slightest.

And besides, what was a little lost sleep to ensure a sweet, deprived child had as easy a first night of complete freedom as possible?

 **~ oOo ~**

The next morning dawned bright and warm, the sky clear, the air heavier than Charlie and Peter were used to. It had been over seventy-two hours since Scarlett and Rosalie left the ranch house and still, there had been no sign of them. The sighting mentioned the day before had been a false lead, so the agents were back at square one, scouring the wilderness for two likely-terrified young women. The witness had informed them of Scarlett's head injury by then, the news of which sent Charlie into a rage that shocked Riley, a man with no children, significant other, or relatives to speak of – therefore no frame of reference for how the man felt. It was like a bullet to the guy for Charlie, who'd been assuming the girls had both been uninjured to have gotten away. Ice shot through his veins as he imagined his daughter in worse shape than they'd previously thought, without the ability to get the medical attention they suspected she needed.

In the end, it was Edward who managed to calm him with the reminder that both girls were always intelligent beyond their years – if Scarlett desperately needed treatment Rosalie would get it for her, of that he had no doubt. The close bond the duo shared was something Riley's agents had noticed and passed on, so the possibility of Rosalie taking Scarlett to a medical center of some description was what they were all banking on. With an APB out for the girls' safe return, Riley was certain somebody would get in contact if either of them turned up.

 **~ oOo ~**

Tense minutes turned into agonizing days. Charlie and Peter clung to their only lifeline – hope.

Edward tried valiantly to keep their spirits high, regaling everyone who would listen – including Marley who lapped his attention up eagerly – with tales of his shenanigans with Archie, Scarlett, and Rosalie when they were all younger.

Still, they clung to the knowledge that the girls were out there, possibly only minutes away and closer then than they had been in over twelve years. They were eternally thankful for the army of agents scouring the state for them.

Riley found himself pulled in directions he hadn't previously considered, the discover of the suspect's connection to the victims opening up a whole new can of worms. They had a motive, finally. Smith had been endlessly jealous of Charlie, and documents had been uncovered that had been found in his childhood home during a raid, Charlie's name featured in a number of disturbing doodles. He'd sheepishly admitted that his captaincy of the football team as well as his status as prefect and head boy in his final year had made him popular, which also seemed to have been a trigger for Smith.

Until they found Smith, there was only so much more they could surmise. They'd have to wait until they could talk to him.

 **~ oOo ~**

"I'll go mad if we're stuck in this place for too much longer," Peter groaned quietly, gazing out through the small window into the concrete courtyard masquerading as a garden. The men had been moved to a safe house outside Billings, Montana's largest city, and had been since the third day after their arrival. FBI agents surrounded the building, with one posted inside, his presence intimidating purely because of his enormous stature and prolonged silence.

Riley left the house with the promise that he'd return immediately if there were any developments, but that was hours before and he hadn't been in contact since.

The men were going stir crazy.

"Did you call the girls?" Charlie asked from a stained beige sofa, hoping to distract himself and Peter. The oppressing silence, both literal and metaphorical, was beginning to get to him.

Peter huffed out a sigh and nodded. "They were going to bed. Mum said to say 'keep your chin up'."

"Sounds like Mary, alright," Charlie mused.

Peter hummed in agreement, eyes starting to blur with the endless swath of gray in front of them. He turned to face the room instead of the courtyard. It obviously hadn't been used in a while. The carpet, once purple, was faded and worn almost bare in places. Floral wallpaper made their eyes hurt whenever they looked at it while the matching sofa cushions were torn, dusty, and long-forgotten. On arrival Riley had apologized for the state of the place, but Ben had picked up attempts to get past his electronic blocks. If the case had been compromised by journalists or the suspect himself there would have been hell to pay, so they'd taken the chance to move Charlie, Peter, Edward, and Marley to a new, safer location that was easier to monitor and guard. It was ensconced in the outskirts of a suburb called Lockwood, roughly ten minutes from the city and easy enough for the numerous agents to blend into.

"Carl-Roman sent a picture for us." Charlie frowned at his phone a few minutes later, seeing the attachment pop up with a text from Archie which simple read 'hurry home all of you love Champ'. Peter joined Charlie, the pair sharing a bemused glance before looking at the screen again. When the photo popped up they found themselves battling chuckles. Carl-Roman' face took up the entire screen, cheeks smeared with war paint, lips turned up on one side in a faux-serious expression.

"That kid…" Peter sighed. He missed his little godson something fierce. Though both he and Charlie were trying not to think about it, this was the first time either of them had been away from their homes for longer than a night since the girls went missing. Carl-Roman' bright, blue-green eyes and silly face made them more homesick than they'd like to admit, the unfamiliarly humid air and tense situation only worsening the feeling.

"He's sure something." Charlie's mind wandered to the boy's birth, a frenzy in the middle of the night. It was one of the best nights of Charlie's life, overtaken only by the births of his own two children and his wedding night all those years ago—

Before Charlie could finish his though, the screeching of tires interrupted. Heavy footsteps and a muffled shout preceded Riley's entrance. His hair was disheveled, eyes wide, breaths leaving his body in quick pants.

"We've had a sighting."

With those words everything seemed to fade away. Edward appeared from the kitchen where he'd been making a coffee, Charlie and Peter shooting to their feet. "They were spotted this morning on gas surveillance footage just outside of Lewistown."

A snap of his fingers later and Ben had opened up a map on his laptop, moving it to the coffee-ring stained end table. The group leaned over it, their eyes following the line Ben drew by inputting the coordinates Riley rattled off. The line went from the safe house they stood in to a tiny peck they soon realized was the gas station. It wasn't far. Not far at all.

"I've got agents headed there now." Riley's eyes met Charlie's, Peter's, then Edward's. "It won't be long, guys. They're close. You need to prepare yourselves. They aren't going to look the same as they did when you last saw them. They're very different now, as you saw in my surveillance images. They won't look the same, sound the same, act the same…they've been through more than most people ever have to even imagine." The next words were ones he hated to even think, let alone say to their fathers and childhood friend. Nevertheless, it was his duty to prepare them. "We don't know exactly how they've been treated during their time here, we don't know what they've been told. We can guess, but that's it. Do you understand? Their reactions to you may not be the ones you want or expect."

It took a few moments for the men to read between the lines, but when it did they reacted visibly. The thought of their girls' faces drawn into displeased or frightened expressions cut them to the core, hearts breaking, eyes prickling with hot tears. It had been a long time since Charlie or Peter had been embarrassed to cry in front of people. It was a widespread notion that men shouldn't cry, but when you'd been dealt one Earth-shattering loss after the other what else could you give? Until Scarlett was wrapped in Charlie's arms and Rosalie was in Peter's neither man would be whole again. To think their precious daughters might not be a heart-wrenchingly happy to see them as they would be causes more pain than they knew what to deal with. The past few days had been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, of discovering secret children, living with the agony of not knowing whether Scarlett and Rosalie were alive or dead, of finding them halfway around the world, and of having the acute awareness tingling within their spines that their long-lost daughters were just miles away. So close, yet so far.

Two excruciating hours passed without word from Riley's agents out in the field. Charlie paced restlessly around the house while Peter showered and Edward introduced Marley to the wonderful world of cartoons. One of the agents had rustled up an old DVD player from somewhere and some DVDs of cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Spongebob Squarepants. As soon as he'd put them on she'd been engrossed, crouched in front of the TV on folded knees, bunny squashed against her belly, eyes glued to the characters.

It had been during an episode of the latter that Edward had managed to catch her first smile on camera. She'd been watching intently, as usual, and he'd just walked into the room on his phone when he heard her huff. Looking up, he was surprised to find that the huff was an almost-silent laugh, her hands up covering her mouth as she shook a little. Squidward was doing something she deemed funny, and when she realized Edward had entered the room her hands dropped but left her smile behind for just enough seconds that he managed to switch from Facebook to his camera to catch it.

Of course, Charlie had been gutted to miss it, but he'd already had Edward send him the photo and it was now his screensaver, alongside a photo of Carl-Roman and baby Chase.

By the time the sunset on their fourth day in Montana, they were fed up of waiting.

Charlie emerged from his shower, heading to the courtyard where Peter sat on an old, fold-up camping chair. A lone bird circled overhead, the faint breeze ruffling Charlie's damp strawberry-blond curls. For the first time he was aware of the gray sprinkled through the hair at his temples, the streaks in the strands atop his head. Lines had etched themselves into his face seemingly overnight, though in reality they'd been there for more than a few years. Charlie had begun to let his shaving regime go, and he now wore the beginnings of an impressive mustache, something he'd always sworn not to like. The once-vibrant blue-green eyes his wife had fallen in love with had been dimmed by year after year of disappointing nothing, by the passing birthdays, Fathers Days when only one 'Dad' card sat on the mantle instead of two – though in recent years it had been joined by 'Pawpaw' cards from the boys. Nine Christmases had come and gone without the delicious scent of freshly baked gingerbread or the bright pink garlands Scarlett had always insisted on making and stringing to go on every available surface.

As evening slipped into night, light blue sky turning to inky navy, the made way for a blanket of stars and the group of men convened in the living room with Marley content to eat in front of the TV – nobody wanted to be the mean one to pull her away from it, not just yet when it made her so happy -, though nobody really touched their meal. An old stuffed owl stared from a shelf as the clock ticked, its ominous beat loud once the guards returned to their stations around the house.

Riley left to join his team in the city so Charlie and Peter found themselves at a loss for something to do, Edward eventually persuading Marley to lay on the sofa beside him where she fell asleep with her bunny, one hand wrapped in the loose material of the tracksuit bottoms he wore.

The minutes trickled by in slow motion, the deceivingly loud ticking of the clock heralding every new second they were away from Scarlett and Rosalie.

 **~ oOo ~**

 _Meanwhile, somewhere near Lewistown…_

"You've got to eat something, Barley," Rosalie urged. She extended her hand further towards Scarlett, the plastic bowl of fruit salad turning her stomach even when she simply turned her head to eye it.

Ever since they'd returned to the hotel after dropping Marley off, she'd been mute. Unable or unwilling to make any sound other than the retching that accompanied the many bouts of sickness she'd been experiencing at all hours of the days and nights.

Rosalie barely managed to get water down her, ushering Scarlett into the shower each morning, but that was about the extent of the blonde's activity. Her body unmoving, Scarlett's haunted gaze followed Rosalie as she moved around, keeping the old curtains tightly closed, water and a bucket close by. Rosalie was just about keeping her fear at a distance, crying silently into her pillow once she thought Scarlett was asleep.

Little did she know, Scarlett heard everything. She'd slept in fits and starts ever since being knocked unconscious days before. Each time sleep crept up on her terror shoved it away again. Her heart sped up, body pulling taut with pain. And with the phantom feel of Smith's fingers around her neck Scarlett couldn't let her guard down. Not even for a second.

The traumatized young woman was stuck in limbo – unable to help Rosalie the way she wanted to, unable to help herself, and unable to help her daughter. It had seemed like the only option, the only way she could make her safe. But being unable to hold Marley, to sing her to sleep or do her hair exactly the way the little girl liked it, it was killing her.

While Rosalie cried herself to sleep each night Scarlett sent apology after heartfelt apology to their families, hating that by running they'd put their dads and siblings in danger. In the heat of the moment all she'd been able to think of was that they'd never have another chance to leave. He'd never let them. Worry had come later, every sound similar to booted footsteps making her alternately relieved and petrified.

 _If he's looking for us, he's not looking for Marley or hurting our family in England_. She made it her mantra between bouts of debilitating nausea and body-numbing fear. Hour after hour of sitting in the dingy motel room gave both girls time to think.

Rosalie's thoughts were clouded with nerves, worry for Scarlett, and fear or what would come next. She didn't know where to go from there, what to do, how to help Scarlett overcome this depression she'd spiraled into.

And Scarlett…she failed to keep hold of any thought but Marley's face for longer than a second or two, everything swept away in a flood of endless unknowns. A flood that he'd started but had no further control over.

 **~ oOo ~**

At just after ten a.m. on day four at the motel, Scarlett moved.

She stood absent-mindedly, almost in a trance, and shuffled from the bed to the bathroom for the first time without prompting or Rosalie's body as support. Rosalie's stunned but proud eyes followed her staggered steps.

The sun had risen hours before, bright in the blue sky with wispy, cotton-ball clouds drifting aimlessly around it. A stray mongrel could be heard, his muffled bark audible through the thin walls of the aged motel. As Rosalie heard the telltale sounds of Scarlett using the toilet and switching on the shower, she smiled shakily to herself and fought back tears. Perhaps today would be a good day.

 **~ oOo ~**

A middle-aged couple arrived during the previous afternoon, the loud music blaring from the crackly television in their room almost drowning out the crunch of tires on gravel outside. The woman, a thin lady with lank blonde hair and hollowed cheekbones, flicked listlessly through the limited channels available while her boyfriend showered on the other side of the bathroom door. Bored, she tossed the remote control towards the holey sofa and stood, moving over to the window. One bony finger tracing the tape holding two sections of glass together, she peered out at the beaten up car pulling in next to the rusty truck she'd seen two girls getting out of earlier in the day. Fed up with the meagre options on the TV, she discreetly watched the man who'd climbed out as he leant against the gray and blue car before lighting up a cigarette. The cherry-red end glowed, the woman's eyes taking in his gray ponytail, beard-covered jaw, and scruffy clothes. He looked like a tramp.

Her eyes jumped briefly back to the TV screen, the bad signal making the news anchor's voice sound jumpy. She heard his announcement that the search had begun for two missing girls in Montana, though. At first she didn't even think of her neighbors a couple of doors down, but then he described them. The forty-something year old woman may have had waning eyesight but when squinting at the screen it was obvious her neighbors were indeed the girls she was staring at.

Their curtains were drawn tight and neither girl had ventured out since that morning – now she knew why. They were on the run. The news anchor wrapped up the piece by listing a contact number for anyone with information before a redhead began outlining the weather forecast.

She hadn't even gotten thirty seconds into it before the woman in the motel room had snatched up her boyfriend's phone, dialing the number while it lingered in her mind. It rung a few times before a woman with an accent answered.

"Is this who I need to talk to about the missing girls? I just saw them on the news," she breathed, heart pounding, mind wandering to the young women fifty feet away. When the dispatcher answered in the affirmative and patched her through to somebody else she sat heavily on the bed, her boyfriend emerging from the bathroom sporting a towel around his waist. He offered a questioning smile just as a man's voice came on the line.

She pulled in a shaky breath, "I know where those two women are. The ones on the news." A question. "At the shabby motel right outside Lewistown. The one with the light split in two bits and off on the right side, I can't remember the name. They're in the room just down from me. I've seen them."

The couple's distraction with the phone call meant that they didn't see the greasy-haired man moving from his spot beside the car until it was too late.

 **~ oOo ~**

In room nineteen, Scarlett wandered back into the main room on freshly-socked feet. Brow knitted tight, she stared at the bed on the far side of the room where she'd left Rosalie not five minutes ago. She'd promised not to move.

"Sc-scarlett…" Rosalie croaked.

Tangled blonde curls flopped over a slender shoulder as Scarlett jerked her head sideways to find the voice. She, Rosalie, stood stock-still by the chipped-paint-door, white-knuckling something that looked from the other side of the room like a piece of paper. Scowling at her inability to ask what was wrong, her throat sore from throwing up so often, she moved across the carpet silently, reaching out a hand to touch Rosalie's fist.

"I-it's a no-note f-for us," she stuttered.

Frowning, Scarlett squeezed in question. _What does it say?_

Petrified baby-blues met confused azure, swimming with panic. Her lips trembled around the whispered words imprinted on her memory already.

"You left me to die. Now it's your turn to burn."

As the words sank in, a glowing spear crashed through the window, catching the curtains on its way through before igniting the carpet. Within seconds flames danced in the girls' eyes, their only escape route cut off by the quickly spreading inferno.


	11. Chapter Ten

**~ oOo ~**

Thank you so much everybody for your unwavering support!  
I honestly never expected such a reaction to this story. Some  
of you know this already, but _Pinky Promises_ started out as a dream  
I had during a time when I was in sleep therapy, so after I'd written  
it down it stuck with me. I couldn't shake it, and the tale evolved,  
eventually becoming this monster of a tale.

Never did I imagine how much it would resonate with people.

Anyway, enough out of me. You're not interested in what I  
have to say up here, I know ;)

Sorry again for the cliffie. I hope this makes up for it!

 **ALSO** , **HOTDAMN** we hit **200 reviews!** **GAH!**

 **Tulips at Twilight,** you were the magic number 200,  
so there's a little nod to you further down the page.

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Ten**

Riley Lawrence all-but slammed down his phone after ordering his agent to get the woman's details, throwing his rental car out of the hotel parking lot to speed towards Lewistown. En-route he sent a message to the other agents to let them know where the girls had been sighted, and to head to their assigned rendezvous points. He didn't need solid proof to know that this was the real deal.

Riley's gut told him they'd find Isabella Scarlett Swan and Roslalie Hale within the next couple of hours.

His gut had rarely ever been wrong, and it wasn't then.

The first agents spotted the pillar of smoke spiraling up into the sky minutes before they arrived on scene. The radios were abuzz with panicked chatter. By this point the fire had been raging for going on five minutes and had begun to spread into the apartments either side of nineteen through the wooden frame. Everybody had been evacuated, and when Riley skidded to a stop a few men were battling the resilient flames with buckets and hoses running from the nearby pond, the twenty or so people staying or working at the motel gathered nearby.

"What the hell happened?" Riley spat, throwing his badge in the nearest motel employee's face.

The tie-dye clad teen popped her gum loudly. "I, like, dunno. Some dude just rolled up in, like, a really ugly car. Guess it was him 'cause he was, like, all shift and stuff. Ya know?"

With clenched teeth and fists so tight his bones popped, Riley growled.

"Boss?"

No sooner than Riley was informed there were two guests unaccounted for did Riley hear his tech whizz's voice. Turning, he frowned.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

Jogging beside Ben was Edward, a grim look on his face.

"I'm here to help, Riley."

Ben quickly explained how he and Edward had been testing a new kind of micro-tracker he'd been working on when the call came in about the girls' location. Unwilling to be dropped off, and not having enough time to drive back to Lockwood anyway, he'd brought Edward along.

"Right, I don't care. Just keep back and let the professionals do their—"

An enormous ball of debris, smoke, and fire launched itself into the air, crashing back down on the roof of room twenty-one and collapsing the entire right side of the block in one fell swoop.

"Get back!" Someone yelled, the crowd frantic in their attempts to get away from the blistering heat.

Only two men remained.

Riley and Edward cast pointed glances at each other, a decision made in the split second of panic everyone else indulged in. Nodding stiffly despite knowing the shitload of paperwork he was choosing to inundate himself with, Riley grabbed a fire blanket from a passion employee and shoved it at Edward. "You ready?"

Not pausing to question Riley, Edward didn't hesitate in running towards the burning building. Adrenaline, affection for the girls he counted as honorary siblings-slash-best friends, and loyalty to the two families who'd helped patch him up as a troubled child pushed the young man ahead of the FBI agent. Long, strong strides carried him across the grass, jade eyes fixed on the peeling door adorned with a wooden '19'.

"Watch yourself, you hear? I've got enough damn paperwork without worrying about you, too!" Riley barked.

Edward yelled an 'affirmative' just as he reached the door. A booted foot crashed through the flimsy door with a crack inaudible over the sound of the fire and splintering apartment structure. Tugging the fire blanket over his head and shoulders, Edward inhaled a lungful of the relatively clean air, then shoved his way in.

 _Here goes nothin',_ was his last wry thought before the smoke and heat swamped him.

Edward's mind worked frantically, his body protesting the forward movement even as his head insisted upon it. The room was about fifteen feet long, eight wide. So far the fire had almost the entire front blocked off, only a small gap in the flames even remotely passable. Conjuring up memories of eight-year-old Scarlett and Rosalie, and remembering little Marley who'd been distracted by pancakes cooked by one of the agents while she watched Spongebob, he said a quick prayer and forced himself through.

Thankfully, the nylon-style carpet repelled the blaze to a certain extent, allowing Edward's boots a path along the wall. With dark green eyes reflecting the dancing vermillion columns reaching for the ceiling, Edward searched for the girls amidst the smoke.

A rumpled, multi-colored quilt topped a small double bed, the matching pillows burning on the floor where they'd been thrown after proving ineffective at extinguishing the fire. The dresser was alight, as was the shabby gray sofa. The girls weren't there.

Seemingly out of nowhere came a meek voice. "Help! We're in here…" the voice rasped. Trying hard not to breathe too deeply, Edward stretched to look over and around the dancing fire.

It was then, through the thick black smoke, that he spotted them. They were curled into each other on the bathroom floor. The only reason Edward could see them at all was because the entire bottom section of the door was missing. Squashing the surprise at seeing the pair, he moved swiftly, pushing at the door only to find it was jammed.

"It's broken," came a whimper from the other side.

The heat began to feel a though it was scorching through the fire blanket. Edward's breathes had grown so shallow he felt a little light-headed, panic building.

"All right." He looked down at the hole, knowing he'd be too big to squeeze through. And they didn't have time, anyway. The flames were sidling closer. "Can you crawl through here?"

A split second after he crouched and reached an arm through, a soft, small hand brushed his.

"I can try, but Scarlett—" the girl coughed. _Rosalie_ , Edward deduced, grasping her hand gently before trying to peer through the haze of smoke.

"Move out of the way. I'll kick the door down, ok?"

Rosalie scrambled out of the way, tugging an unresponsive Scarlett with her until they were sitting in the tub. The fractured plastic screen attached to the bath acted as a weak barrier between them and the door when Edward barged through, Rosalie jumping with a startled squeal. Just as he realized it would be impossible to carry both girls at once, Riley appeared, handing them paper masks to cover their mouths and noses before scooping Rosalie into his arms without preamble and backing out of the room.

A loud groan from above pressed home the point that he needed to get moving, and quickly. Edward reached for Scarlett. She flinched away from his touch, eyes flashing open. They shone dark blue in the shadow of his imposing form.

"Hey, it's me, Edward. You remember me from when you were little?" He murmured, trying not to look as frightened as he felt. The fire was encroaching on their personal space by then, creeping towards the doorway. If they gave it a chance to meet them there they'd be trapped.

Scarlett's eyes flickered for a brief moment in recognition, a huffed gasp falling from her lips as she cocked her head slightly to one side. The movement reminded him of Marley. It made her hair shift, the stark white of her bandaged temple looking so much worse with the heat of the flames at Edward's back, his heart racing, lungs burning with the need to take a deep breath.

"Yeah, you remember. It's ok, don't talk. Put this over your mouth, we need to be quick…that's it. I'm gonna carry you out, ok? Just stay still and close and I'll do the leg work."

Scarlett didn't show any sign of acknowledging his words. Shock, maybe. Nevertheless, Edward didn't have time to wait any longer. Time was running out.

As he looped his arms under her legs and back, Scarlett surprised her childhood friend by curling into his chest and tucking her head into the crook of his neck, white-knuckling the edges of the blanket.

"All right, you ready?"

She nodded meekly.

"Ok."

The ceiling overhead crackled with the strain of staying up even as the walls began to crumble, their shoddy assembly making them weak against the onslaught of the determined flames that licked at them. After leaning up to inhale one quick breath from the slightly-open window Edward brushed his stubbly cheek against Scarlett's tangled hair before throwing them through the doorway, into the searing frying pan the apartment had become.

What felt like an eternity later, they stumbled from the collapsing front door onto the dirt. Riley moved to catch them, propping Edward up as he coughed and moved away from the burning building, Scarlett clinging to him not unlike how Marley had the night before when she'd woken from a nap on the sofa whimpering.

Sucking in desperate breaths, Edward didn't bother to turn when the apartment building collapsed. Scarlett's whimpers resonated in his head as he coughed and choked on the smoky air, rasping his thanks to Riley when he tugged the paper mask away to toss it to the floor. Sinking to his knees a hundred feet or so away from the burning rubble, Edward cradled Scarlett carefully despite the pain in his chest and the prickling of his eyes.

"You ok, Scarlett?"

She managed a nod.

"Go—" A horrendous coughing jag stole the breath from Edward's chest, but all he could think about, all he could _see_ , was the look of absolute gratefulness on Rosalie's face as she darted across the grass towards them, and the numb expression on Scarlett's when she pulled her face from his neck a moment later to mouth 'I remember you'.

 **~ oOo ~**

Driving towards Lockwood, Riley glanced periodically at the view in the backseat. Rosalie was in the seat directly behind him, Scarlett huddled into Edward's chest on the other side of the bench. Thanks to the paramedics that arrived on scene while he and Edward were getting the girls out, Scarlett's head had been patched up properly, and they'd all been checked over and given oxygen.

Rosalie had explained that the only injury either of them had was Scarlett's head wound, so Riley hadn't insisted on a hospital visit once the paramedics had declared her fit. She'd also made sure to give them the paperwork Scarlett had stolen from the study, which Riley was eager to look through. He'd have preferred a trip to the hospital just for a thorough once over, but with Scarlett as mute as her daughter but pretty much completely unresponsive, and Rosalie taking edgy to a whole new level, nobody thought it would be a good idea.

There was the added issue of their anxious fathers, too.

They'd been awaiting their reunion for far too long already. In the three hours since their rescue, the press had somehow gotten wind of bits and pieces, their curiosity already spiked by the FBI presence at the burnt-out ranch, the earlier plea for their safe return, and the police and federal agents swarming the motel after the fire there. Riley knew from experience that all hell would break loose once they realized the significance of the girls' identities. With their faces all over the news it wouldn't be long, which was exactly why he was rushing them back to Charlie, Peter, and of course Marley, swallowing his insistence that they go to a hospital.

They'd waited long enough.

In the backseat of the SUV, Edward's chest relaxed for the first time in day, his arms tightening reflexively around Scarlett when she shifted. A warm puff of air left her lips and caressed his Adam's apple, sending a shiver through his body. He'd always been ticklish there. Cursing his ticklishness, Edward attempted to move so he wouldn't shudder every time Scarlett breathed.

A surprised gasp stopped him in his tracks. "Hey, it's ok. Your breath was tickling me," he whispered, halting Scarlett's attempt to scramble away. "Are you comfy?" Edward grinned at the hesitant dip of her head, tipping his own back against the headrest and sighing deeply. "You're welcome to stay then."

And it seemed she wanted to, because she settled back in, only holding herself rigid for ten minutes or so until she relaxed once more.

For a long while the anger Edward harbored for Smith was pushed back, the only emotion able to override it being the crushing relief of having Scarlett in his arms, Rosalie close enough to touch, with the miles separating them from their dads and Marley being rapidly eaten up by Riley's lead foot on the accelerator.

"There are going to be a lot of agents around in a minute." Riley eventually said softly, interrupting Rosalie's morose contemplation. Her eyes snapped to his gentle blue, seeking reassurance but still wary. She didn't trust him yet, but she desperately wanted to believe this wasn't all an incredibly elaborate dream. Desperately wanted this to be real, especially the part where he dad was so close, as Riley had said. "None of them will hurt you, but there will be lots of people around. It's for your safety, ok?"

After a pregnant pause, Rosalie dipped her head. Scarlett's entire body stayed perfectly still against Edward's hoodie-clad chest. Not a sound leaked from her lips, her breathing so shallow that if Edward didn't know better he'd have thought they'd lost her.

"Where…where are we going?"

"A safe house near the city. You'll be safe there, I give you my word. I have my finest agents guarding it."

Another dip of her head pre-empted a silent ride the rest of the way to Lockwood.

Riley was just happy neither girl was gravely injured, though he was growing steadily more worried about Scarlett's obviously frail state of mind. He could only hope being reunited with her dad and Marley would help.

 **~ oOo ~**

The safe house was smaller, dirtier, and more inconspicuous than Rosalie expected. When the SUV pulled up outside a small, white paneled house with a brown lawn, broken shutters on the tiny windows, and chipped paint…well, everywhere, she shuddered. More than once she and Scarlett had wondered what their lives would have been like if they'd been taken somewhere else. Somewhere more populated where he wouldn't have been able to hide them so easily. Somewhere like this place.

Immediately upon arrival, two enormous black-clad agents emerged, meeting their boss just outside the vehicle while Rosalie scooted closer to Edward. He offered her a small smile, slowly tucking an arm around her shoulders in a gesture of comfort she gratefully accepted after the shortest of pauses. "You're both gonna be ok no, Rosalie. You're safe."

Riley opened the door furthest from them. Rosalie clasped Scarlett's hand, kissed her forehead, then urged her to slide off of Edward's lap so they could disembark. To her surprise, Scarlett clutched at Edward with a whimper and refused to move at all.

"It's all right Rosalie, I can lift her out," he said. Hiding the feeling of rejection, Rosalie pushed away and stepped onto the cracked driveway, Edward shifting his body with Scarlett still clinging to him until he could put his feet on the ground.

Riley, Agent Davies and Agent Willows took in the girls' condition with barely concealed horror. Scarlett's expression, or what they could see of it with her face pressed against Edward's broad chest, was devoid of any emotion, her body slim. Too slim. The thin white t-shirt she wore was stained by the smoke and hung loose over her skinny frame, bony right shoulder clearly visible because the neck of the top was far too big. Rosalie's condition wasn't much better, but marginally, but only because she'd managed to eat and keep food down. Scarlett hadn't, and in recent weeks she'd been eating less and less anyway, her appetite decreasing.

"Come on, let's get you inside."

Agent Willows, the only female agent available at short notice, coaxed Rosalie forward, Edward walking ahead of Riley and Agent Davies as they tried valiantly to disguise their disgust at the way the girls had been treated.

Inside, Scarlett refused to be put down. Rosalie sat herself on the shabby couch, ignoring her hatred of unfamiliar people to curl into Edward's side so she could be close to Scarlett. Baby-blues took in everything, from the peeling wallpaper to the pair of cold coffees sitting on the table a few feet away. Terror clouded her thoughts when she spotted a large, intimidating man with gray-brown hair standing guard in the corner. She felt silly because he didn't look anything like _him,_ not really, but the hair and the stance…it set off alarm bells in her mind that she hadn't been aware of before.

Her fragile nerves weren't helped by Scarlett's prolonged silence. All Rosalie wanted was a sound, a single word to reassure her. To take away the crushing fear that this was all a big joke. As much as Rosalie had prayed for this day to come, now it had she couldn't believe it. Not yet. Not even with the blast from the past Edward represented.

Riley's appearance took her fear down a notch. The tenuous link between their rescue, their safety, and Riley helped her racing heart settle just a little. For a few long moments the room rustled with activity as agents moved equipment out of the way. The thumping rhythm of their FBI issued boots on the exposed stairs sent frissons of anxiety through the girls, although only Rosalie showed it with the widening of her eyes. Phone calls were made, plans changed, revised safety measures put into place within a matter of minutes, and throughout all this Scarlett and Rosalie stayed still and silent, unable to do anything but take it all in.

Then, Edward caught a nod from Riley to one of the agents whose name he didn't know. The dark haired man glanced over at him, cradling Scarlett while hugging Rosalie around the shoulders, before darting up the stairs. The muffled sound of smashing glass made Scarlett flinch, a low whine escaping her lips. Heavy footsteps running down the stairs a moment later elicited a similar, albeit sharper, response.

Scarlett and Rosalie jumped, startled, cowering in fear against each other and Edward as two men burst into the so-called 'living area', one in dark wash jeans and a black, long-sleeved top while the other sported vintage wash jeans and a matching top, but in navy. Heaving, panting breaths filled the silence of the room, their eyes trained solely on the shivering girls across the room.

Thick anticipation clung to every air molecule in the house as the two broken fathers set eyes on their daughters for the first time in what had been twelve lengthy, heart-breakingly unbearable years.

Faced with a too-thin Scarlett in a faded, smoke-scented shirt and cut-off shorts, so different to the rosy-cheeked girl of his memories, Charlie was forced into the sudden realization that his little girl had grown into a young woman. A mother herself, now. She was no longer the eight-year-old he remembered, though she was tiny even for twenty-one. It was a hard pill to swallow – for him, and for Peter, who was fast coming to the same conclusion. Hauling in a deep breath, Charlie exhaled it shakily, managing to utter a single word. His daughter's name.

Nobody could have predicted his daughter's reaction. Not even Rosalie.

Her body went slack, then tensed against Edward. A ragged, harsh huff of air left her lips and was loud even across the room as her haunted blue-green eyes fell on Charlie, the torture of that simple contact hitting everybody square in the gut. Pain lanced Scarlett's heart, her voice raspy as she groaned, " _no_. No, no, no, no, no…"

Aching sadness mixed with pain from her head injury, her refusal to take painkillers coming back to bite her now, and lingering shock created a potent disbelief. In her mind it was all a dream. A heartbreakingly realistic dream that didn't seem to be ending.

The agents, fathers, and Rosalie watched in burgeoning dismay when Scarlett began to rock on Edward's lap, her face turned into his neck, hands white-knuckling his slightly-too-small borrowed hoodie.

"What do I do?" Charlie asked nobody in particular, alarmed at the sight of this unfamiliar yet _so_ familiar girl in clear distress right in front of him.

"Let me just…" Edward trailed off, adjusting himself a bit. He squeezed his arms around Scarlett gently, ignoring the beguiled but enthralled onlookers as he whispered, "hey, Scarlett, you don't have to be scared and shut off, ok? You're safe. You're safe with us, with me. I don't have to let you go if you don't want me to, but your dad wants to see you. He's been waiting a long time just to see your face again. Don't you want to see him, too?"

Slowly, Scarlett's keening slowed, then stopped. Each muscle relaxed infinitesimally until Edward wasn't just holding a bundle of nervous tremors anymore. Her hair a matted golden halo around her troubled mind, she blinked tear-filled eyes a few times, and Edward could almost see the change in them. The switch from unseeing to aware.

Charlie let out a strangled whimper, Peter's arm shooting out to hold him upright, as matching sets of anguished aqua eyes met for the first time in over a decade. It took an endless moment for Scarlett to realize.

It wasn't a dream.

"Daddy…" As soon as the choked word was free of her lips Charlie shot forwards to fall to his knees in front of her. His large, calloused hands hovered over her legs nervously as torrents of tears soaked their faces. Having barely managed to hold herself back in case Scarlett needed her, Rosalie bounded across the room into her dad's waiting embrace.

"Oh, my girl," Charlie croaked, heart breaking all over again as he gazed into his daughter's tortured eyes. "I've missed you. So, so much."

"Me too, Daddy." Without another word Scarlett slipped neatly from Edward's lap into Charlie's crouched body, hitting him with a muffled whimper. The force should have knocked him off-balance, but he barely felt it. Wrapping strong arms around her tiny body Charlie barely suppressed a shudder at the all-too-obvious mistreatment of his girl. If he tried he could probably have wrapped his arms around her twice, that was how scarily thin she was. The feel of her spine and shoulder-blades against his forearms was almost more than the emotional father could handle. The only thing stopping him from letting go to hunt Smith down himself was that he'd been waiting a long, long time for this day.

As Edward quietly stood to step away from the reunited father and daughter, Scarlett tightened the weak hold she had on her dad and found herself struggling with the idea that, at some point, she'd have to let go.

That point came some thirty minutes later.

Edward heard it first. Over the course of the past few days he'd become attuned to the way Marley fidgeted, the sounds she made with her body if not with her mouth. And he knew, even though she was upstairs watching Spongebob with an agent while he was downstairs, that she wanted something.

He excused himself silently, leaving Scarlett and Rosalie on the loveseat with Charlie and Peter. It was a testament to the girls' poor condition that they all fit, because it was barely four feet across.

Creeping up the stairs on socked feet, Edward grinned when he spied Marley. She was on folded knees in front of the portable DVD player an agent had found hidden away, but her eyes were on the doorway, then him when he appeared. Her eyes brightened and her lips moved into a small, hesitant smile. A hopeful smile. She looked so sweet, so innocent, with a single red tulip tucked behind her ear. One of the agents had brought a bunch to the house to brighten it up at Riley's request, and Marley had silently giggled behinds her hands when Edward had plucked one from the vase to settle it at the side of her head.

"Yeah, little sweet, I'm here to get you. Are you done watching Spongebob?"

She nodded, looking forlornly at the repeating main menu. Ah, so the DVD had ended.

"All right, well I've got some people who'll probably want to see you. C'mon."

Only once he'd opened his arms to her and given her permission to move did Marley scramble to her feet, rushing across the floor to wrap her arm around his leg, peering up pleadingly. He knew exactly what for, too.

"Oh, all right. You know you just kill me with those big 'ole eyes, don't you?"

Marley's smile widened further, a flash of white teeth between her rosebud lips. He hadn't been able to deny her one single thing, and he didn't start now. Edward lifted her small weight easily up onto his hip, holding her there and brushing a wayward curl back from her face. He'd managed to brush it and pull it back into a messy ponytail, at least. Nobody else in the house seemed capable of doing hair – except Charlie, who still hadn't been able to get close enough to touch Marley without her panicking.

With no further ado, Edward smiled to himself, knowing Scarlett would be pleased when he walked through the living room door. He only wished he could hear how excited Marley would be. Whenever he'd babysat Carl-Roman he'd loved the way the little boy cheered at the news his dad was home, or if they were going to visit Charlie and Peter he'd tell Edward all the things he wanted to do there. Marley simply held onto the fabric at his shoulder and watched his face curiously as he grinned.

It was funny, but Edward thought he'd had enough shocks for his entire lifetime just in the past few days, and yet as he stepped through the doorway to the living room, turning in time to watch Marley as she peered around the room and caught sight of the two new occupants of the house, he found himself delighted at the most recent surprise.

"Mommy!"

All eyes swivelled in synchronisation to the little girl scrambling down from Edward's hip to charge across the space separating her and her mother. She flung herself into Scarlett's lap, sobbing big, heaving but silent cries that broke the hearts of everybody in the room. For the longest time, Scarlett didn't even move, only muscle memory pushing her arms around Marley to hold her close even as she stared in wonder at the little girl's shaking body.

"Did she…? Did you…did you just, speak?"

Marley peered up at her mother from beneath long, wet lashes. The warm weight of her Scarlett's lap brought forth a smile as she threw herself back her chest, snuggling in with a quiet hum.

Scarlett looked to Charlie, Peter, then Edward, finally noticing the wide, proud grin on his face. "What? Has she done that before?"

Edward shook his head, unable to stop himself laughing. The sound drew Marley's attention. She twisted, lips spreading into a tremulous smile when she found Edward grinning at her. "No. No, she hasn't spoken, not since we got her."

"Oh, thank God." It was impossible to miss the relief on Scarlett's face as she hugged her daughter, stroking her hair repetitively, lips curling into the smallest of almost-smiles when she noticed the flower behind Marley's ear. It smelled fresh, reminded her of home. Of England, and of Peter and Tina's garden when she was a child. "I thought…for a second I thought I'd missed it."

"Missed what?" Peter asked gently.

Scarlett shot him a shaky half-smile tinged with sadness. "Her first word."

At her side, Rosalie sniffled and reached over to squeeze Scarlett's leg gently, smiling when Marley stretched to be able to tap her fingertips to the corner of her mouth in a silent _I love you_.

"So, that answers that questions," Riley mused aloud. When Scarlett looked to him for clarification, he added, "whether or not she spoke at all. We'd wondered if she'd warm up to us and get comfortable enough to speak."

"She's never spoken," Scarlett admitted. "We've never known why. She understands us perfectly, and always does as she's told. We talked and talked when she was a baby, trying to get her to say 'Mommy' and 'Rosie', but she never did."

Everyone in the room could see it upset Scarlett. Including Marley. She pulled her attention away from Edward to reach up and cradle her face, wiping away a lone tear as it cascaded over Scarlett's cheek. "M-mommy?"

More tears fell. Happy ones, this time. Scarlett's face blossomed with a smile. "Yeah, babygirl, Mommy. I'm your Mommy."


	12. Chapter Eleven

**~ oOo ~**

Here's your Pinky Promises fix, all you addicts out there ;)  
Such a big compliment to receive messages about your  
withdrawals - I must be doing something right!

So I have some news...I'm sick, and I'm going away to Crufts  
Dog Show for the weekend, so I'll be MIA without my computer.  
I plan to try and get at least partway through the next chapter,  
but it will still need to be sent to SunflowerFran who has kindly  
agreed to take over beta duties for me, so I'll update asap and  
set a more realistic update schedule than the every-other-daily  
one we've gotten used to

SORRY!

I'm loving all your theories and how much you adore Edward  
and Marley - I do too! Keep 'em coming, they'll make this cold  
of death feel better (I hope!)

Thank you so much for all of your support, it truly does mean  
the world to me!

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Eleven**

As Riley watched over the reconnecting family later that day, his eyes shone with relief.

Until now he'd only ever seen either twelve-year-old photos of Scarlett and Rosalie, or blurred candids taken by his undercover duo when nobody was looking. To see the girls up close, in high definition, wreaked havoc on his thoughts and emotions. He was normally immovable and able to stay distanced. Not this time.

When it had been revealed that the girls weren't who they claimed to be, who Smith claimed them to be, Riley had wanted to yank them from the ranch immediately, especially when further searches didn't uncover any hospital, schooling, or identification records for them. But he'd waited.

A couple of weeks later during an all-nighter at the office he'd delved into the missing person's records from further afield, purely on a whim. It was those few minutes of out-of-character deviation from the plan that had resulted in the girls' real identities being discovered.

Now, watching two dads reunited with their long-lost daughters, watching Scarlett reconnect with her baby girl and introduce her properly to her Pawpaw, Uncle Peter, and Uncle Edward, Riley couldn't help but be glad of his lack of wife and family. If he'd had a wife, children, waiting at home for him perhaps this group of people wouldn't have been sitting their together. Maybe Charlie and Peter would still have been in England with their broken hearts, broken families, and broken faith. It was easy to see how shattered they'd become simply by looking at them. In every single movement Charlie or Peter made their pain was tangible, like extra limbs or clouds of mist surrounding them.

However, as much as their pain was easy to see, so was the growing joy building within them. It grew and grew as the seconds passed. Riley gazed at Charlie, Scarlett, Peter, and Rosalie, Marley nestled in her mother's lap, Edward perched on the end table teasing the little girl with the stalk of the flower he'd gifted her, Riley felt his decision to remain an eternal bachelor was the right one. After all, all of this, it might not have been possible if he'd been distracted by thoughts of returning home to his own family, had they existed.

Outcomes such as this one were the exact reason he put his heart, soul, and life into the FBI, and they were the reason he'd continue to do so.

 **~ oOo ~**

"How's Archie? And Pippa and Heidi?" Rosalie rasped a short while later, her throat sore from the smoke and all the crying she'd done.

Charlie and Peter shared a meaningful look, Edward avoiding her gaze. Peter nodded imperceptibly when the girls looked at one another. Edward removed his cap to tug at his hair before setting it backwards on Marley's head. She bounced with a laugh, twisting it right.

"Waiting to hear from us, and you," Charlie began, squeezing Scarlett's shoulder without thinking. She snuggled into his side, clinging to his black t-shirt with the hand not holding Marley at the waist. "Archie has…" Tears sprang to Charlie's eyes, cutting him off. The thought of Scarlett and Rosalie only now hearing about Archie's sons was gut-wrenching in the extreme. They should have been their the night he, Carl-Roman, was born and named after them. There should be pictures of them holding him on the mantle alongside the ones of Charlie and Peter holding them, photos of them playing together as they grew.

Just like there should have been all those things for Marley. Pictures of her with her uncle, her honorary aunts in Pippa and Heidi. But they'd never get that time back.

"Has… _what_?"

Charlie snapped back to the present with a bang. His eyes fell to Scarlett, raised to his face with curiosity and trepidation. He could feel Peter, Rosalie, and Edward's eyes on him, too.

"Baby girl," Scarlett blinked owlishly when her dad cupped her cheek tenderly in a large, slightly rough hand. "Archie has two sons. His eldest is six, and the youngest, Chase, is five-months old. Champ, the oldest, he's called—" Too choked up at the sight of Scarlett's shock, Charlie trailed off and let Edward finish, cradling Scarlett to him to comfort her the only way he knew how. By humming a quiet tune he'd hummed many a time when she was a baby.

The same song she hummed to Marley whenever she got upset.

"His name is Carl-Roman, after you two," Edward murmured.

Scarlett and Rosalie were dumbstruck. Trying to take in the knowledge that Archie, their big brother, was a dad. Two little boys' dad. They tried to absorb the news that somewhere in England there was a little boy named after them who shared blood with Scarlett and a family with Rosalie.

It was a difficult task to handle on top of everything else vying for space in their minds, so tears were the only thing they could manage for the moment.

When she regained a handle on her emotions Rosalie inhaled, pulling back to look at her dad's face. Still, after hours of being able to see him, touch him, _smell_ his familiar aftershave, she couldn't believe it was really him. All those years of coming to believe that their families must have given up were hard to push away, to forget. Years of Christmases, birthdays, and other holidays were fighting against _his_ snarled words and beliefs both she and Scarlett had held to their chest since it had become obvious they were going to have to get themselves free. It would take a long time for the girls to regain their trust in everyone, to trust that their families never had given up. And they never would have.

"Dad…" Rosalie breathed. Peter met her gaze and a handsome grin overtook his face, five o' clock shadowed jaw giving away the fact that he'd gone more than a few days without shaving.

"You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that, honey."

"It feels good to say it, Dad," she whispered in reply, resting her head against his shoulder while inhaling a lungful of the aftershave he'd always used. It was calming, gentle, and familiar. Of course, he didn't know that it had been over twelve years since either of them had uttered the word 'Dad'. It had been a coping mechanism, something to keep them from falling apart. Keeping their two lives separate.

As she settled down to listen to the quiet conversations going on around her, Rosalie watched Charlie's hand run soothing circles on Scarlett's shoulder, allowing her eyes to drift shut. She kept everything out except the soft voices nearby and the sound of her dad's heartbeat at her ear. Knowing this was the beginning of the end, Rosalie felt more happiness than she had in a long time.

Nobody anticipated the way Scarlett's mind would soon revolt against her.

 **~ oOo ~**

The next three days passed in a mess of tears, bone-crushing hugs, and men treading on eggshells.

For Scarlett, the shock of being rescued wore off on the first night. It left debilitating panic attacks, nightmares, and a fear of many innocent noises.

Rosalie did better. She managed to keep her calm by reminding herself often of her dad, Charlie, and Edward's presence. Of course, every time she saw her pseudo sister lose her composure it brought hot tears to her own eyes as well as sending the entire house into a tailspin, Charlie and Edward in particular.

Marley was petrified of her mommy's nightmares, and took to refusing to sleep unless Edward was holding her. With Scarlett's permission, she began sleeping on a loveseat the agents moved into Edward's room, though most nights he woke in the morning to find her burrowed down by his feet at the foot of the bed, beneath the duvet.

It was agonizing to watch Scarlett break down simply from hearing too-loud footsteps on the stairs, or at the sight of a man moving too quickly in the corner of her always-alert gaze, and know there wasn't a thing they could do to make it better.

It was only made worse by the lack of knowledge on why she was acting this way.

Neither Scarlett nor Rosalie could bring themselves to taint this perfect reunion by talking about the things they'd experienced in the past twelve years.

After the first day of closeness touch became unbearable for Scarlett as flashbacks of rough hands grabbing at her repeatedly took over, haunting the little rest she did get while adding a layer of exhausted panic to her threadbare nerves. At night the agents stationed in and around the house struggled to remain stoic in the wake of Scarlett's terrified screams echoing throughout the dark hours. Rosalie, who refused to stay in any room other than the one Scarlett used, got to her feet each night to let Charlie in, hopelessly aware of her uselessness in the face of Scarlett's night terrors. For a girl who'd spent years leaning on her for support, it was pure torture seeing Scarlett broken. Seeing her crumble under the weight while nobody could do anything but hope the next night would be different.

That the next night would be the one she managed more than an hour of sleep.

That the next night Scarlett would be able to rest without demons pushing her to the brink.

As the twenty-fourth, fifth, and sixth of April passed the group by, Riley realized she needed more help than they could give her. A phone call was made, a plane ticket was booked, and on the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, an FBI psychologist, a specialist in treating victims of abduction, would arrive.

 **~ oOo ~**

The night before the psychologist was due to arrive, the nightly routine altered ever-so-slightly.

Scarlett's nightmare didn't wake the entire house followed by her blood-curdling screams. No, instead, she managed to wake herself before the true agony began, silently calming her breaths until they were quiet enough for her to leave the room and pad on socked feet down the stairs.

Hugging slender arms around her waist, Scarlett stared forlornly out of the front window, blue-green eyes glowing in the moonlight that filtered through the drapes. There were only seven other occupied houses on the street, though many other sat empty, so a visual scan of the driveways and surrounding pavements yielded little information that she didn't already know – they were in the middle of nowhere.

In the swath of navy material dotted with pinprick silver dots Scarlett could see two constellations, the small amount she remembered from Archie's astrology phase having stuck with her for all this time.

"Arch…" Her brother's name sent a pang of longing through Scarlett's weak body. His face was a poorly constructed guess at what he'd look like. It had been twelve years, his teenage years long-gone and in their place, fatherhood. She still couldn't imagine her goofy, fun-loving, immature-at-times big brother as a dad to two little boys.

But then, Charlie had admitted Archie was struggling with the reality that she was a mother. So she supposed they all had things to adjust to.

It seemed like a whole other world, thinking about her brother back home, one in which she had no idea how to act, think, even _be_. Life hadn't been normal for such a long time that Scarlett was having a lot of trouble adjusting to being an ordinary twenty-one-year old. It was something she'd never been, something she hadn't seen since her time with Archie and his girlfriends, so it was hard to reconcile herself and Rosalie with the feisty, playful, flirty girls of her memories. Hard to reconcile their easy happiness with the weariness she felt dragging her body down with every breath.

Pulling her from melancholy clutches, Scarlett's highly-tuned hearing picked up the clinking of a glass on the metal tap in the tiny kitchen at the back of the house. It was closely followed by the squeak of the tank as the tap was turned off, then the sound of bare feet on the linoleum. The slow, heavy gait alerted her to who it was before they even made the doorway. She spun cautiously, the tiniest of smiles tugging her lips from their grimace.

Shocked emerald green eyes shot to hers, the hand holding a glass of water to his lips slowly lowering. "Scarlett? What are you doing up?"

The ominous ticking of the clock hanging lopsidedly on the wall was the only noise in the room for an endless second.

"Couldn't sleep," she finally murmured, unable to remove her eyes from the adorable sight of Edward cradling Marley against his bare chest, her head pillowed against his shoulder, one arm draped around him, the other snuggling Mister Eddie between their bodies. She was fast asleep, snoring quietly. Contentedly.

Warmth spread through her body, washing away the lingering chill left behind by her most recent nightmare until all Scarlett could feel was the comfortable calm accompanying Edward's presence. In the still, silent night it was all-too-easy to feel complacent, but she forced herself not to succumb to the strong torrents of relaxation Edward always exuded, something she could only assume was linked to the memory of being cradled in his arms as he and Riley rescued her and Rosalie from the fire.

Just the quick flicker of a flame in her mind's eye sent a shudder down Scarlett's spine. Heat licked up her slender frame to scorch the part of her mind that hadn't yet started to heal or process everything that had happened in the last few days, leaving her heart racing, body trembling.

"Hey, are you ok?"

Before Scarlett could protest, not that she's sure she would, Edward had crossed the shabby expanse of carpet, set his drink down, and was looping his long, free arm around her shoulder, enveloping her against his warm chest beside Marley. A tremor ran through her as his hand came up to gently stroke through her curly locks, mussed by sleep but not something she was bothered about in the wake of her nightmare. It was even less of a concern now as sobs began to wrack her body so hard her teeth chattered.

"It's all right, I've got you. I've got you."

They rocked side-to-side gently, Edward's caress from the crown of Scarlett's head down to the middle of her back where her hair ended soothing both of them in equal measure.

Only when Scarlett took a small step back, as calm as she felt she'd get, did Edward cease his stroking.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem. You ok now?"

Scarlett nodded, then shook her head with a sigh. "Yes? No? I don't know?" She met his eyes, seeing nothing but gentle encouragement waiting there. It was different to the sympathy in the eyes of the agents, the expectation in her father's, and the confusion in Marley's whenever she saw her mommy having a panic attack.

"I thought this would all feel…different. Happier, easier, _less painful_. I didn't expect to feel so scared all the time. I didn't expect to be so exhausted, twenty-four-seven. I mean, I want to spend time with all of you because I've missed you all so much," Scarlett trailed off with a long breath, tipping her head back and letting her eyes fall closed. "But all I want to do is curl up and _sleep_."

Edward stared at Scarlett, so familiar in so many ways, but unfamiliar in more. His eyes swept over the yellow handprints around her swan like neck, the stark white bandage at her temple, and the way the clothes she'd been given hung off her body despite being a crazily small size. Her eyes were underscored by black bags, cheeks hollow and smiles wan even when they were genuine.

"Come sit with me? I could use a rest. This little one sure is a fidget."

"You're telling me. We've shared a bed with her since she was born. She's always been a sleep-fidgeter."

Edward took a seat on the couch, careful not to jostle Marley against his chest, and patted the spot beside him with a small smile. It was lopsided and spread to his eyes, vivid even in the dim light filtering through the room from the moon. Scarlett hesitated, but he could see the moment she surrendered. She was too tired not to, he could see that, too. Her weight barely registered when she sat, curling her legs beneath her and settling with a few inches of space between his thigh and her knees. Her half-lidded eyes were already fighting a losing battle, so Edward wasn't surprised when, after only a minute or two of humming a nonsensical tune, she slowly tipped forwards until her face rested against his shoulder right beside Marley's, their soft puffs of breath mingling but thankfully not tickling him. He settled in and got comfy with the girls sleeping against him, his heart full and content knowing Scarlett was resting and safe.

 **~ oOo ~**

The FBIs favored vehicle, a black SUV with tinted windows, pulled up outside the safe house the following afternoon amidst a cloud of dust. From her crouched position with her knees tucked into her chest on an armchair in the corner of the living area, Scarlett flinched at the muffled sound of a car door closing outside, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she listened to two pairs of footsteps getting closer. An agent had gone outside to meet the new arrival walking leisurely up the path, neon pink rucksack in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. As soon as the click of the front door echoed through the house Scarlett's eyes flew open and trained themselves on the door to the hallway. Rosalie wasn't far away, sitting on the sofa nearby next to Edward and Marley. The little girl had brought her portable DVD player downstairs, and was watching Spongebob while munching on some cooled toaster waffles, happy to be on Edward's lap with her mommy close by.

Rosalie's wasn't comfortable, by any means, but she shoved away her hatred of the idea of a stranger in the house for Scarlett's sake. It was obvious she needed this extra help.

" _Good afternoon Miss Winters. Riley Lawrence._ "

After Riley had introduced himself he let Megan Winters into the room that Scarlett, Rosalie, Edward, and Marley currently occupied. Both Charlie and Peter were outside smoking, hating that they needed a break but taking one anyway from the atmosphere surrounding the girls. They were also following Riley's request to give them a little space to get used to Megan without their presence.

"Miss Winters, this is Rosalie Hale," he paused, nodding at Rosalie reassuringly, before settling his eyes on Scarlett in the corner, "and this is Scarlett Swan. Edward here is a family friend, and the little lady on his lap is Scarlett's daughter, Marley."

Still engrossed in her cartoons, Marley hadn't even noticed Megan's entrance. Edward turned her slightly so she'd be less likely to. The longer they could keep her distracted, the better. If she had a meltdown they weren't sure how Scarlett would react.

"A shrink." Three sets of shocked eyes flew to the blonde in the corner following her words, spoken through gritted teeth. The fourth set of eyes, soft blues belonging to Megan Winters, gazed kindly at the young woman. She took in the young woman tucked into a ball on the chair, black jogging bottom-clad legs tightly pressed to her chest, the dark purple hoodie she wore far too baggy on what she'd been warned was an incredibly slight frame.

For a few long moments nobody seemed to know what to say, simply watching Megan watching Scarlett, who stared over her left shoulder at the wall. "I've heard a lot about you both. I'm looking forward to getting to know you a little better." Leaving it there, she turned to Riley. "Will I be staying here, or at a hotel?"

Riley got himself together enough to tell her she had a room ready upstairs, leading her up there once she'd grabbed her back from the floor where the other agent had left it. Rosalie stood to make her way to Scarlett as soon as their footsteps hit the stairs.

"Hey, it's just me," Rosalie whispered, curling into the gap she created for her. The girls clasped their hands together tightly. "Are you ok?"

Scarlett's answering nod was slow, a breath hissing out through her teeth as she forced herself to relax. Her muscles hurt with the force she'd clenched them. _It's just Rosalie. Just Rose._

The pair stayed together in that small chair for hours. Rosalie was the first to move, when she needed to use the bathroom, and Scarlett followed shortly after, laying rigid in the twin bed beside Rosalie's until she woke the entire household with her petrified wails forty-five minutes later.

Charlie reached the girls' room first, Peter seconds behind him while Megan emerged just as Rosalie opened the door. She stepped into her dad's arms to accept his freely offered comfort. Megan took in the way she visibly shuddered at Peter's touch, choosing to fight her fear in order to stay close to him, a man she wholeheartedly loved. The sight was one that warmed her.

The sight of Scarlett was considerably different. Muffled sobs and whimpers escaped her room in waves as she fought whatever attacked her in her dreams. Peering inside, she saw Charlie hovering near the bed unsurely. It was clear he didn't know what to do with himself, and who could blame him. Though all of his instincts told him to hold his daughter close after her nightmare, he knew it would do more harm than good. At this point any contact with anyone other than Rosalie seemed to send Scarlett into a spiraling tunnel of panic, made worse by the fact that she desperately wanted human touch to comfort her despite not being able to withstand it.

Megan had enough experience to know Scarlett was probably aware of Charlie's harmlessness, however, her recent trauma coupled with what she suspected was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stopped her from being able to control the way her mind and body reacted.

Seeing Scarlett tucked tight into the fetal position on the twin bed, anxious dad on his knees at her side while everybody else hovered outside the room, Megan was confident Riley had done the right thing by calling her out.

"Charlie? Please could you come here a moment?" She murmured quietly, offering the man a reassuring half-smile when he glanced towards her. Seconds later he joined the crowd in the hall, harrowed eyes still fixed upon his daughter.

His words were a plea. "What do I do? How can I help her?"

"I think, right now, the best thing for her is somebody as neutral as possible. Is there any one person she reacts to well? Apart from you, Rosalie. You can't be her only comfort blanket, it isn't safe or healthy for either of you. And at the moment it doesn't seem that she recognizes you when she's in the throes of a nightmare, does it?"

Rosalie frowned, upset she couldn't help, but shook her head. "No, she doesn't react at all to me when she's like this. I always used to be able to help her with nightmares, but this is something different."

Megan nodded, like she'd expected as much. "All right." Her eyes fell upon Edward then, leaning in the doorway to his room with a sad look on his face. He'd thought the previous night had been a turning point. It was the first full night's sleep she'd had, curled into his shoulder on the sofa. And yet here they were again.

"Edward, how do you feel about trying to get through to her? You say she slept well with you in the room last night."

All eyes suddenly on him, Edward's ears flushed scarlet. "Uh, well yeah. I didn't do anything special though, and she wasn't having a nightmare. Do you think it will help, though?"

Megan nodded, "I do."

"Then yeah, sure. As long as it's ok with you, Chuck."

Charlie shrugged sadly. "I just want her to be happy. Whatever it takes, son. Just help her if you can." With that, he walked dejectedly down the hall to the room he shared with Peter. His friend followed him after giving Rosalie one last squeeze.

Megan watched as Edward moved to perch on the edge of the bed, reaching out a hand to stroke the hair away from her face. It was dampened by sweat, her body writhing in the sheets.

"Hey, Bella Bean, it's me, Edward. Can you hear me?"

It took a moment or two, but Scarlett's cries did settle a little. Megan narrowed her eyes.

"There you go. It's just me, see?"

"Ed-Edward?"

Edward nodded, stroking her hair. "Yeah, Edward. It's just me. It was just a dream, Bella, just a dream. You're safe."

Megan mentally made a note of the fact that every time Edward called Scarlett 'Bella', it seemed to calm her. She rolled, swiftly tucking her body as close to Edward as possible. He looked back to Megan in question.

This was an odd situation, and for a moment she questioned her suggestion – to send Edward in. But it _was_ helping.

Scarlett's sobs tapered into huffs of exhausted breath, the odd sniffle punctuating them here and there. She'd curled herself around Edward, one fist tight in the material of his red plaid pajama pants, the other white-knuckling the covers.

"What do I do, Megan?"

Before Megan could get even a syllable out, Scarlett tightened her hold.

"Stay with me? Please? Just until I fall asleep."

There was no way Edward could have turned down her request, her tone laced with a plea he knew she wouldn't push if he said he wanted to go back to his room. With no immediate rebuttal from Megan in the doorway, he careful nudged her so she let him swing his long legs up onto the bed and recline against the headboard. She adjusted her position accordingly and wound up wound around the side of his body like a vine, relaxing with a final shudder.

With Edward's assurance that he'd call on her if he needed to, Megan returned to the bedroom she'd been given at the end of the hall to settle in for a restless night, going over what she'd do the following morning to get Scarlett and Rosalie on the long road to recovery. It was an incredibly daunting task, by far the most challenging she'd been given in her career.

The memory of Scarlett's grief-stricken face as she fought her sleep-demons was fresh in Megan's mind as she drifted off into a fitful sleep, knowing her first decision of the day was going to cause ructions in the house. Nobody was going to like it, least of all Scarlett.

Even just in the hours since Megan had arrived, Scarlett had repeatedly vomited, and shown all the symptoms linked to after effects of a head injury. She was obviously very poorly, and nobody seemed to be able to explain it. Her fear would be a huge hurdle to overcome but Megan was increasingly concerned about her, and knew tomorrow would be a difficult day when she voiced her professional opinion.

Scarlett needed to go to the hospital.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**~ oOo ~**

Ok, I'm sorry, I suck *hides face from incoming rotten fruit*  
My weekend away at Crufts (which was **amazing** by the way,  
thank you to those of you that asked! messed with my entire  
week, and before I knew it Wednesday had arrived and I still  
hadn't posted this chapter - which was actually written and ready  
on Monday afternoon.

Because of my ridiculously hectic week this chapter didn't make it  
to SunflowerFran, so all mistakes are mine.

So, yeah, I'm an utter fail. Please forgive me for not replying to  
all your wonderful reviews! I ran out of time, and I figured you'd  
rather a chapter than a reply.

I'm loving all of the wonderful feedback and messages you've been  
sending, so please keep them coming, it truly does mean a lot!

Anyway, I'll let you dig in.

 **Happy Hump Day, everyone! You're halfway there :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twelve**

The ominous ticking of the cracked clock hanging lopsidedly on the wall of the living area was the only noise in the house. Silence stretched the tense atmosphere until it was so taut it was liable to snap, tearing the fragile blonde in the corner apart in the process.

Rosalie, Peter, and Riley were outside in the concrete courtyard, Agent Matthews standing guard at the front door as usual while his colleague, Agent Willows, poured coffees in the kitchen.

In the living area Megan sat on a worn stool, ever-gentle eyes trained on Scarlett. She cowered in a wingback chair, hair un-brushed in a loose ponytail, eyes wide but bloodshot as a result of her lack of sleep. She'd managed a meagre few hours after her nightmare, but even those minutes were plagued by nightmares teasing the edge of her subconscious. Dressed in the same purple hoodie and jogging bottoms as she had been the day before, and hunched in on herself the way she was, Scarlett looked tiny. More like a child than the adult she was. The sight made Megan's heart ache, especially when she saw the way Marley routinely glanced over with a knot between her tiny brow, obviously seeing the pain in her mother's posture and behavior.

Megan was positive only Edward's presence beside her on the floor was keeping her from leaping into Scarlett's arms. Him, and the portable DVD player set to her new favorite show in her lap.

"Let me get this straight…" Charlie growled from his spot, perched on the edge of the sofa. "I've _just_ gotten my daughter back, and now you want to take her away again and stick her in a hospital?"

"Nobody is taking anyone away, Mr. Swan. Your daughter desperately needs medical attention, if only to diagnose whatever it is making her so sick."

Charlie couldn't argue, having seen for himself more than once how sick Scarlett had been. As a child she'd had sick bugs, of course, but it was nothing like she had been in the past few days. He may not like it, but his instincts to want Scarlett healthy and well were overriding any motivation he had to argue. He didn't want her to leave his sight at all, of course he didn't, but he wanted her healthy. He wanted his daughter to have everything. And that included her health, her well-being. It took everything to stop himself from yelling and throwing anything he could get his hands on when Megan continued, informing him that she'd made the necessary arrangements with Riley for Scarlett's transport.

"I just feel that a doctor needs to look Scarlett over, Mr. Swan, at least to discount anything sinister. She's clearly not well, and that head wound definitely needs a once-over. She should have gone to the hospital right away, Rosalie too. And Marley…well, I doubt that she's ever seen a doctor in her life."

"She hasn't." Scarlett supplied. She raised her face from her arms, staring at her daughter as she continued, "she's never seen a doctor, a dentist, nobody but us and the men on the ranch."

Glancing at each other, Charlie and Megan shared similar thoughts.

 _This could be the opening we were hoping for_ …

Everybody had tried to get information about Garrett Smith from the girls, but as soon as his name was mentioned they just shut off. It was like a switch was pressed, and there was no switching it back. They had to reset on their own, and nobody wanted to push them too far. They needed the information, sure, but Riley and Megan had agreed it wasn't worth sending any of the girls into full-blown meltdowns. There were still agents on the ground hunting for Smith, and all the witnessed had been interviewed. Including the woman from the motel, of course. Her description and subsequent police sketch of the arsonist had matched Garrett almost to a 'T', the only exception being the ponytail but it wasn't too out there to assume that he'd had other priorities besides getting his hair cut into its usual medium-length style.

"Men? You mean the hired ranch hands?" Megan asked.

Scarlett nodded, with a little sigh Megan couldn't decipher. "I asked for a doctor for her, once, when she was a baby. Eight-months-old, maybe? She had this awful cold…"

Edward, Charlie, and Megan watched as the memories seemed to engulf Scarlett, her body curling in tighter on itself. She shivered. "It was freezing. We had an early winter, and we all got sick. But Marley…she was so tiny still and she just seemed to be ill forever. He wouldn't let us get a doctor out but we couldn't get away from the ranch because of the snow, so we just had to make do with what we had. She got better eventually, obviously, but…I don't know. She struggles during the winter, or when we have a particularly cold day. I always wonder if it's because of that."

As Megan assured Scarlett she did the best job possible, given the circumstances, Scarlett belatedly realized she had a stronger accent than Riley's with a distinctly Texan twang, like Emmett's.

"Emmett…" She whispered the name so softly that she didn't think anybody had heard her.

Marley obviously did, though.

Her head popped up, eyes darting around the room as a tiny smile tugged her lips upwards and outwards. She looked hopefully to her mother, who gave her a small, regretful frown.

"Sorry, baby girl, Emmett isn't here. I was just thinking about him."

Disappointed, but easily distracted by some Graham crackers and her show, Marley left the subject alone. Megan, however, had no plans of the sort.

"The transport to the hospital is pulling around," Riley interrupted as Megan began to ask who Emmett was, wondering if he could be the missing piece of the Marley puzzle.

Riley strode into the room with Peter and Rosalie at his sides, a grimace on his face. "Are we ready?"

Charlie and Scarlett shared a look. The latter sighed, reaching up to brush her fingertips across the band aid on her head. She'd been changing it every couple of hours, the skin around the wound bright red and sore to the touch, still. It should have healed by now, or at least started the process. And as for the sickness…she wasn't opposed to something to help with that. She hadn't experienced nausea like it since her pregnancy with Marley.

"All right," Charlie sighed, the misery written all over his posture as he stood and helped Scarlett to her feet.

Curious of the sudden movement, Marley scampered to her feet and climbed onto Edward, patting his face to get his attention as Scarlett and Rosalie made their way upstairs to fetch some clothes. He smiled, but it was tinged with a sadness he couldn't explain.

"Scarlett—er, Mommy and Rosalie are just going upstairs, they'll be right back. Then we're all going on a little trip, ok?"

Marley frowned. Edward hated to see the look on her face. He'd grown attached to her sweet smiles, and lived to see them.

"We're going to the hospital, to see a doctor that will help make Mommy better."

It was clear Marley knew what he meant, because her face brightened and she reached up to touch his head in the same place Scarlett's wound was covered by a stark white dressing. If she didn't have the words, she definitely had the understanding.

"That's right, little sweet."

They both turned at the sound of footsteps, Marley reaching for Scarlett when she made it to the bottom step. She took her daughter willingly, curling her into her chest as she sat contently on her hip, face snuggled into the crook of her mother's neck.

 **~ oOo ~**

Within ten minutes they were all in the black SUV synonymous with the FBI, and by the time they arrived at the hospital an hour later they'd had to pull over three times for Scarlett to empty her stomach of its already-meagre contents. FBI agents escorted the group through a back entrance up to the private ward where they had pre-arranged for the girls to stay, a handful of agents waiting in plain clothes to ensure their privacy wouldn't be breached.

It didn't take long to get Scarlett and Rosalie changed into comfy clothes that allowed the nurses and doctors to do what they needed to, and both girls found themselves overwhelmed by the unfamiliar people, surroundings, and noises. It had been a long time since they'd been in a hospital, and although they'd remembered it to be a safe place in their twelve-year-old memories, it was too formal, too sterile, for them to relax.

Charlie and Peter found it all to be too much, seeing their daughters folded in hospital beds pushed close to one another, watching them flinch every time a nurse entered the room with clicking of their shoes, or doctors making their eyes dampen further with every test they needed to run, every needle they used. It was all necessary, but it wasn't pleasant for either of them to watch. Megan had eventually shooed them from the room when Marley and Rosalie fell asleep tucked close to one another in Rosalie's bed, the day too overpowering despite it not even being noon.

Only one remained, watching over the girls silently from a chair in the corner by the window.

Quiet sniffles drew his attention away from the view.

"Hey, hey now, you're ok. What's wrong?"

Edward moved to perch on the edge of Scarlett's bed, reaching out hesitantly for her hand. He smiled gently when she flipped it over, gripping his fingers hard when he moved them the rest of the way and clasped her much smaller hand within his.

She sniffled, lashes wet as she blinked owlishly at him. In this setting she appeared so pale, so fragile. "I never thought…I never thought we'd get here, that's all."

"Well, you're here. Make the most of it. As much jelly and ice cream as your heart desires," Edward said with a wink.

Scarlett smiled despite herself, squeezing his fingers in thanks before letting go and running her hands through her hair. It hadn't been brushed for two or three days, she couldn't remember, and the tangles hurt when she tried to brush through them.

"You want me to help? I used to be good at that."

Scarlett sighed, nodding in defeat. She remembered Edward sitting through hours of Archie messing with her hair when they were younger, when Charlie broke his wrist on a building sight. She was around seven, meaning Edward would have been thirteen or so, but he'd wound up becoming quite the stylist by the time he left for Italy at the end of that summer. His skills even surpassed Archie's – not that Scarlett ever admitted it.

"Where's your brush?"

"Over there, on the table-thing."

Returning with brush in hand, Edward smiled and patted the bed. "All right, spin a bit. I can't get at your head from this angle."

 _It's Edward. It's just Edward,_ Scarlett reminded herself as she twisted on the bed, offering him her back. It felt unnatural to turn her back on a man. Foolish. But it was just Edward, and he'd never hurt her. In fact he was often the one to pull her from nightmares and stop the hurt, so she shoved down the fear bubbling within her stomach and forced herself to breathe as he started at the tips of her hair and laboriously combed through the snarls in her blonde mane.

The entire process was relaxing, and by the time he'd reached her crown Scarlett's eyes were half-lidded, and she was barely holding herself upright. Soothed by Edward's rhythmic, gentle motions, Scarlett allowed herself to slump a little, but she froze when it made her lower back come into contact with his knee, folded up on the bed behind her.

Calmly, he adjusted his position and gave her a soft pat to the head. "All done. Go on, get comfy and have a nap. I'll leave you to—"

"No!" Her outburst startled even Scarlett. She'd twisted to face him, her eyes wide and pleading despite the sleep lurking within their azure depths. "No, please, don't go. Will you stay? Just until I'm asleep?"

Edward recalled the night before, when he'd fallen asleep with her curled against his side. He'd tried to disentangle himself from her grasp a few times, but it only made her groan and toss, so he'd remained even though he felt a little awkward doing so because he wanted her to get some much-needed rest. He'd thought it had helped, but then she'd been lethargic and virtually unresponsive for much of the morning. She admitted nightmares had haunted her, though not as badly as usual. Megan told him that she suspected his presence was the cause of her more peaceful night. She'd surmised, from Scarlett's behavior around Edward in particular, that she related her safety to his presence, most likely as a result of him being the one to carry her from the flames of the motel.

Edward had resigned himself to helping in any way he could. If that meant helping Scarlett overcome her nightmares, so be it.

"I'll stay, don't worry. Get comfy and have a nap. You'll feel better after."

It was easy to see the relief flooding Scarlett's face as she relaxed infinitesimally as she turned, leaning back against the pillows. She cast a longing look over at Rosalie and Marley, their arms entwined, Marley's hand twisted into the fabric of Rosalie's scrub top. Mister Eddie was ensconced in the sliver of space between their bodies, never far from Marley's tiny fists.

"Thank you, Edward."

He grinned, brushing a wayward lock of hair back behind Scarlett's ear. Scarlett's eyes were sliding shut even as he rose from the bed and tugged the hospital blanket up over her. He felt the warmth of her cheek as his fingertips slid past during their retreat. It gave him an electric shock. Putting it down to static in the air, Edward sighed and stood, getting comfortable in the chair by the window once more to keep his promise to Scarlett.

As she drifted off he couldn't help but ruminate over the entire situation. Just a week ago he'd been home in Italy, not a care in the world. Yet here he was, sitting just feet away from two girls whom, honestly, he'd wondered if he'd ever see again.

And of course Marley, a little ray of silent sunlight he hadn't expected. Well, nobody had expected her. She was bright and brilliant, and oh-so-sweet.

Yes, he knew Scarlett was still having nightmares. And yes, he also knew Rosalie wasn't faring exceptionally well – albeit better than Scarlett, but still not amazingly. But he also saw their progress. He saw the way they were opening up more and more, trying to lean on their dads, and him. They were moving forward. With the help of the doctors and nurses at the hospital they could only move forward further once their health wasn't such an issue. It was no secret that Scarlett was scarily underweight, her persisting sickness not helping matters, though a nurse had mentioned nausea could be a symptom of concussion resulting from her head injury. So though it wasn't pleasant, it was fixable.

Scarlett could overcome it. She could overcome the past, the torment she and Rosalie had been subjected to, though he didn't know quite what that entailed and wasn't sure he wanted to. It would take time, patience, and lots of love, but Scarlett and Rosalie, along with Marley, would be able to move on from the past twelve years of captivity. Of that Edward was sure.

So yes, they were moving towards their freedom, both mental and physical, and Edward couldn't be happier about it.

True to his word, he remained in the chair until she was asleep, her breaths even and soft, silent from across the room. Careful not to disturb any of the three sleeping girls, Edward stood, stretching his arms and legs as far as possible. His leg – the one he broke during his last year at school – popped audibly. Wincing, Edward was about to retake his seat when he heard a loud clang from out in the corridor. He flinched and alternated glances between Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley.

None of them stirred, thankfully. He tiptoed across the tiled floor towards the door, checking on them once more before opening it as quietly as possible and stepping out into the hall. The door clicked shut behind him as his eyes caught the source of the clang. His body registered the atmosphere saturating the area before his mind could catch up, his first clue being Peter's rigid stance against the far wall and the stony look on his face. Before he could ask what was going on, Charlie's fist came down on the seat of the chair beside the one he was sitting on, another clang ringing out through the thin corridor. Peter reached for his shoulder in warning.

" _No_ ," Charlie growled, but there was no fire in it. Only defeat. His eyes screamed anguish, their color so similar to Scarlett's that it made Edward cringe, though he couldn't pinpoint why. "It's wrong. There's no way."

Only then did Edward notice the man opposite Charlie. A doctor, judging by the white lab coat and stethoscope around his neck. He held a clipboard in one hand, a grim look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Swan. I ran the test three times myself, the results are correct."

Edward saw Peter squeeze Charlie's shoulder again as the dark-haired man made as if to stand.

" _She can't be…_ " he breathed, the fight leeching out of him into the floor. He made a pitiful sight, slumping over on a worn chair in a corridor bearing peeling paintwork and faded carpet.

A rock landed, heavy and weighted, in Edward's stomach. _She can't be,_ what?

"It would explain a few things, Mr. Swan. The majority of her symptoms fit. The mood swings, sickness, lethargy…"

Edward felt nausea hit him square in the gut, breath whooshing from his lungs with the doctors next words. Life became infinitely harder for Scarlett, and the chance of her being able to put the past firmly in the past became slimmer within a second.

"All of Scarlett's symptoms are absolutely linked to the fact that she's pregnant."

 **~ oOo ~**

" _She needs a doctor,_ please _!"_

 _Garrett scowled, flicking the ash from his cigarette on the floor. Rosalie was too distracted to care, though she'd only mopped hours before. "There are no doctors for hundreds of miles, tell her to just get on with it before I lose my patience. She's being a dramatic brat."_

 _Rosalie's face fell, eyes stinging with tears she refused to shed. "But she needs a doctor, don't you get it? She needs medicine and help!"_

" _Well what are you for? Go back to your room and stay there, I don't want to hear another word out of either of you! You hear me? You won't like what happens if I'm disturbed again."_

 _Hesitating just long enough to earn herself a dangerously raised eyebrow, Rosalie darted back up the stairs she'd just descended, skidding into the room she shared with Scarlett._

 _She was just where she'd left her, leaning over the side of the bed with her elbows digging into the thin mattress, heaving breaths wracking her small frame as she panted and keened, her cheeks red from exertion and hair matted to her head._

" _Well?" Scarlett managed to ask through gritted teeth._

 _Rosalie grimaced. "I'm sorry. He wouldn't listen. What can I do?"_

 _Scarlett didn't get the chance to get any words out. Her face scrunched up in obvious pain before she dug her arms into the bed, gripping the sheets so hard that she ripped tiny finger holes in the fabric. Her body shuddered, a wave of agony tearing through her. She sucked in deep breaths through her teeth. "Flannel…please," she finally breathed as the pain eased a little. Rosalie hurried to ring out the flannel she'd left beside Scarlett, soaking it in cold water before returning to hold it against Scarlett's head. She was panting heavily now, exhaustion and sweat burning her eyes._

" _This_ hurts _, Rosie. It really, really hurts."_

" _I know, Barley, I know it does. Can I do anything else?" Scarlett's whimpers absolutely broke Rosalie's heart, particularly because she knew there wasn't anything she could do to ease her pain. There was no magic cure, no medication she could give - not that they had in their limited medical supplies, anyway. And if Garrett were to be believed even if a doctor_ could _get there, they probably wouldn't make it in time._

" _Oh, Jesus, again…" Scarlett trailed off with a low, animalistic howl, pressing her forehead down into the bed as she rode through the waves of pain tormenting her body._

" _They're getting closer, Barley…" Rosalie sighed, her heart racing. She had no idea what she was supposed to be doing, no idea how to help. The only thing she could think to do was carefully coax Scarlett up onto the bed and help her out of her tracksuit bottoms._

" _Hold me hand, ok? Squeeze as hard as you need to."_

 _Scarlett whimpered, her breaths rasping as she dragged in ragged puffs of air when her body cooperated._

 _This went on for hours. Well into the night Scarlett fidgeted, unable to rest but rapidly running out of energy. At eleven-thirty her pain eased just a fraction, nausea slamming into her gut like a wrecking ball for a few minutes before she felt the almighty urge to bear down._

 _Too tired to fight it, and too mentally drained to question her instincts, Scarlett squeezed Rosalie's hands purple as she let her body take over, battling valiantly for a further forty minutes before slumping in an exhausted heap against the cushions. Rosalie let her relax back, kissing her sweat-dampened forehead before moving shakily around to the foot of the bed._

 _Eyes wide, twin waterfalls cascading over her cheeks, she cleaned up as best she knew how, tucking a towel beneath Scarlett before taking another and wrapping it around the bloody grayish pink bundle between Scarlett's legs. She peered down, not one particular emotion taking precedence. She was petrified, more nervous than she'd ever been in her life, and beyond confused._

 _But, amidst all that, was an awe so strong it couldn't be denied or hidden._

 _Rosalie fell in love on the spot. She cooed, rocked, and soothed. Then, when Scarlett finally raised her head with tired eyes, scared eyes trained firmly on the towel-wrapped bundle in her arms, Rosalie moved around the bed, scooting in to sit next to her._

 _Smiling a shaky, watery half-smile, she carefully adjusted the precious cargo in her arms, shifting it to lay against Scarlett's chest. "Happy birthday, Mommy."_

 _Scarlett peered into the face of her child, still a child herself, and wept._

 _She wept for the life she'd lived, the life she'd lost, and the life she'd created._

 _She memorized every tiny detail of the baby's face. The button nose, rosebud lips, and eyes the exact same shade of sea-blue-green as her own. Only once she was sure she'd never forget the baby's face did she look to Rosalie, seeing fear and wonder reflected back at her._

" _What are you going to call her?" Rosalie whispered when their eyes swiveled back to the baby as she began to fuss._

" _Her…" Scarlett murmured. She hadn't assigned the squirming mass in her stomach a gender. It hadn't seemed real until the contractions started in the early hours of the previous morning. It had become real, then. And it was even more-so now, with the squirming mass gone from her belly and resting, instead, at her chest._

 _Against her heart._

 _Outside, the wind howled, rain beating the windows in a harsh staccato. Not a star was visible in the sky, the mood hidden behind its shroud of black clouds. Draughts rattled the old house, and Rosalie tugged the covers up over her, Scarlett, and the settling newborn._

" _Marley." Scarlett eventually said. "Marley Rosalie Swan. That's her name."_

 _Rosalie felt fresh torrents of tears gathering in her eyes, but she held them back and swallowed the lump in her throat, reaching over the kiss the now-sleeping baby's cheek with her fingertips._

" _Happy birthday, Marley," she murmured, twisting a little to curl into Scarlett as she added, "and happy sweet sixteen to us."_

 _Scarlett hummed, staring down at the life she'd had no choice in creating, and wondered about all the things her dad had doubtlessly pictured his daughter doing or having on her sweet sixteen._

 _She doubted childbirth and forced parenthood made the list._

 **~ oOo ~**

Scarlett woke with a jolt, flying upright. It took a few long moments for her to remember where she was.

It had been a while since she'd dreamt of Marley's birth. It had been, without a doubt, the scariest, most painful experience of her life. She'd been petrified when she discovered her pregnancy, just fifteen-years-old, but was even more-so when the contractions began.

She winced at the memory of the pain that had ravished her body for almost twenty-four hours. It had resulted in the best thing in her life, her beautiful daughter, but at the time Scarlett had been exhausted and terrified of everything – especially the newborn baby relying on her and Rosalie for everything.

Looking over at her now, Scarlett thought she couldn't remember what her face had looked like in those early days. But as she fidgeted in her sleep, Scarlett saw the same purse to her lips she'd worn as a newborn, the same scrunch of her forehead as she wriggled and adjusted her hold on Mister Eddie the bunny. Yes, she could remember. She may not have the albums most mothers got to cherish forever, but she had her memories, and nobody could take those away from her.

Only when a myriad of muffled cries and a thump came through the cracked-open door did Scarlett snap out of her staring. She pulled her eyes from Marley's sleeping face, trying to see through the gap between the doorframe and the door. She couldn't. The bed was at the wrong angle.

Carefully, so as not to wake Rosalie or Marley, she padded across the room on bare feet, wincing momentarily at the chill to the floor before adjusting and sliding her feet into a pair of socks with sticky circles on the bottom to stop her feet slipping on the floor. A kind nurse with warm brown eyes and a wrinkled face had given pairs to her, Rosalie, and Marley so they could move around without worrying about slipping. At the time she'd been too overwhelmed to think much of them, but she was grateful for them now, and resolved to thank the nurse when she returned.

Moving towards the door, Scarlett was startled to hear swearing tinged with a familiar Italian lilt. She hurried, pushing the door open slowly just as the doctor helped Charlie up into a sitting position on the floor.

"Dad?" She gasped, falling to her knees in front of him. His face was pale, eyes glassy. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

Receiving only a blank stare from Charlie, she looked to Peter – who averted his eyes – before meeting Edward's eyes. He looked pained as he forced himself to meet her gaze.

"What's going on?" Scarlett asked in a small voice.

The doctor rose, Scarlett scampering back a little. She hadn't realized how close to him she'd been, eyes only on her dad.

"Miss. Swan, the results of your blood tests came back. You gave me permission to share them with your father, and he had a bit of a shock. Would you like to discuss them in the room?"

Eyeing her dad, then the doctor with his soft gray eyes and unreadable expression, Scarlett felt frissons of fear snaking their way into her heart, and shook her head.

"No, h-here is fine. What...what is it? What's wrong with me?"

The first time around, nobody told Scarlett that she was pregnant. She may have been only fifteen, but she knew enough about periods from overhearing conversations as a child to realize that it wasn't normal for them to suddenly stop.

Especially after what had happened six weeks or so before.

This time? This time she'd had no inkling, no suspicions or worries. Truthfully, she'd had plenty other things to worry about.

So, with that said, it wasn't a surprise to anyone when her heart-rate soared and the breath rushed out of her in one long gust as the doctor informed her of the positive pregnancy test, and the need for a scan to determine how far along she was.

Edward's arms were waiting when her legs became too wobbly to support her weight, her gaze glazing over as she leaned backwards into his chest and closed herself off before their eyes, all emotion wiping itself from her face, a shroud of numbness protecting her from the outside world.

Nothing could get her there. Nothing could penetrate it.

And nothing pulled her out of it.

An entire day passed with Scarlett in a catatonic state, fluids being pumped into and out of her by machines, warm hands and warmer voices attempting to cajole her from the misery of her own mind to no avail.

Until Edward had an idea. One the doctor initially rejected, but finally agreed to try.

Charlie to her left, Rosalie her right, Marley at the foot of the bed with Edward's hand in her left, Mister Eddie in her right, Peter a step back from his childhood friend – just in case – Scarlett finally roused, a sound no mother could ignore penetrating the bubble she'd created around herself.

Tears filled every eye in the room as Scarlett moved, slowly, to a sitting position, eyes searching for focus, roused only by the sound of her unborn child's heartbeat, its first grainy image squirming in mottled gray, black, and white on the screen at the end of the bed. Marley wriggled closed, peering intently at the profile of her brother or sister before twisting to frown uncertainly at her mother.

Scarlett stared right back, gaze flitting between the faces of the lives she'd made. The lives she carried within her heart.

Her purpose. Her reason for living. Her reason to fight, to overcome, and to heal.

She had a purpose, and she vowed not to forget it again.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**~ oOo ~**

Early update again - aren't I good to you? ;)  
Well, truth is, I spent all day today in a muddy field with 153 Dalmatians,  
including my own spotmonster Dakota, so I'm on a bit of a high - childhood  
dream come true, right there!

Anyways, I'm mega busy tomorrow which was when I planned to update,  
but my wonderful, fantabulous new beta **SunflowerFran** had already beta'd  
this chapter so I figured I'd treat you to another early update.

I'm still loving all your theories and thoughts, so please keep them  
coming! I promise we'll get the answers you're asking for in due time,  
bit of a slow burner this one, I'm afraid. A lot of you have begged for  
Emmett, so you'll be pleased to see him making a cameo in an  
upcoming chapter...Not just yet, but soon, I pinky promise!

Enough out of me, enjoy!

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

A week after the girls' arrival at the hospital, they finally had answers.

Not all of them, but enough to paint a harrowing picture of what Scarlett and Rosalie – and later, Marley – had experienced during their time on the ranch.

The revelations had begun during Megan's therapy sessions, and with the permission of the girls, she'd shared the information they had given with their dads, and thus, Edward.

Edward cringed as he brushed Marley's hair back into a ponytail on the third morning at the hospital, remembering the scene the previous morning when Scarlett had told them about Marley's father.

 _Scarlett was sitting on the chair in the window, with Marley sitting at her feet with Mister Eddie and some wooden blocks a nurse had brought up from the children's ward. Megan was present, as was Edward at Scarlett's insistence. She wanted him there so that Marley could be taken out of the room if she got too upset. She didn't want to frighten her daughter, but having Marley nearby helped her to feel safer._

 _She felt better when she could see Marley, see that she was safe._

" _Are you still okay with discussing what we planned?" Megan asked softly._

 _Scarlett turned her head slightly, meeting Megan's gaze. She looked petrified, but resigned. With a nod, she sighed and visibly steeled herself for what would doubtlessly be an uncomfortable conversation. "Yeah. I just…it's difficult to talk about."_

" _That's okay_ _,_ _there's no rush. We're not in any hurry, so you just take your time, okay?"_

 _A few minutes passed before anybody spoke again. Surprisingly, it was Scarlett to break the silence._

" _He came to the ranch after a supply run and begged for a job. Garrett wasn't there at the time, some trip, so one of the older guys just said 'yes' and let him stay."_

 _Megan hummed, "so he worked on the ranch. Do you know his name?"_

 _A maelstrom of emotions crossed Scarlett's face, a shudder rippling through her body. Megan saw it, even from the chair on which she sat a good six feet away._

" _Marcus. Marcus Lucien. That's what he said, anyway."_

 _Edward's fists clenched in his lap. It was clear from the tone of Scarlett's voice that she didn't like this Marcus Lucien one bit. Rage bled into his veins, but he forced himself to stay still and hide it. Scarlett wasn't done._

" _He was there for a while, six months or so altogether I guess. Garrett…he came back after about three weeks and went crazy, but it was weird. He was angry before he even got to the ranch. It didn't click at first that he must've been watching on the cameras or something to know Marcus was there…" Scarlett trailed off, then shook her head and continued. "Rosalie got really sick that winter. Everyone got the stomach flu, but it hit her and one of the other guys the hardest. She was in bed for almost a week once it passed just to recover."_

 _Edward didn't like where this was heading. If Rosalie spent the week in bed, that meant Scarlett was alone most of the time. She'd already admitted that she and Rosalie were treated like slaves, forced to do the cooking, cleaning, and general upkeep of the house, which had to be kept up to ridiculous standards. The men had been warned not to mess with them upon their arrival, she'd heard Garrett giving some new hires the lecture once, but he hadn't been there when Marcus was hired._ _she'd just said that_ _. He hadn't given Marcus that warning._

 _He watched as Scarlett shuddered and stared at Marley. He wondered what she was thinking. If she could see Marcus in her baby. It was likely her hair at least was his. Or possibly carried down from her grandmother, who'd passed her dark tresses down to Archie through Charlie._

" _I think it was the third or fourth day Rosalie was ill…I'd just finished cleaning up after dinner, and the dishwasher was broken. I was distracted and knocked a plate off the side, it didn't break but it made a really loud noise,_ _and I guess he heard."_

" _Marcus, you mean? He heard?"_

 _Scarlett nodded in answer to Megan's question. "Yeah. All the other guys had gone back to their rooms, but he must've hung around. I didn't know why until he came into the kitchen and started trying to touch me. Just my arms or my hands at first, but when I told him to get off he, um, he grabbed at me and pushed me against the cupboards." Choked, she paused, swallowing convulsively. Remembering that day, that night, made her feel sick to her stomach. "He made me go with him to one of the outbuildings,_ _and I had to drink from his flask to stop him threatening to hurt Rosalie or me. It was disgusting, I have no idea what it was, but it completely wiped me out. Whiskey, maybe? It smelled strong. I woke up a while later; I don't know what time because it was really dark outside and freezing cold, but Marcus was gone, and I hurt so bad…um, you know. I knew what he'd done, but I don't remember anything after he made me drink about half his alcohol. I went back to our room and cleaned myself up as quietly as I could, but Rosalie was out cold, and I didn't want to scare her, so I just didn't say anything."_

 _Megan's eyes flicked over towards Edward when a quiet groan escaped him. If there'd been any doubt before, it was abruptly obvious that Marley's father was a degenerate pig._

 _A rapist._

 _With a squeal of the chair against the floor, Edward motioned over his shoulder towards the door. He then made a beeline straight for the restrooms down the hall where he emptied his stomach of his breakfast. Then and there, he vowed to protect Scarlett from any other horrors that may come her way. Nobody would be able to hurt her again._

 _Of course, if he'd stayed, he would have heard Scarlett say that there was no point giving a description of Marcus, of the FBI looking for him. He was dead. Buried somewhere near the ranch, she guessed._

 _Garrett had shot him at point-blank range in front of all the ranch hands as a lesson to them not to touch Scarlett or Rosalie. Sometimes at night, she could still see him slumped in a pool of his own blood right outside the house._

 _She still saw his sightless gray eyes and Marley's hair hanging over his face, matted with sticky crimson blood._

In the end, Scarlett had surprised everybody with her cool recollection of a horrific ordeal. Rosalie explained that she'd been the same way when she explained it to her, six weeks after it happened when it became obvious something wasn't right, when her period didn't come.

"She does this thing," Rosalie said. "She just kinds of...disappears for a while. Like her mind is somewhere away from her body just telling it the information she has to say. It's creepy, but I think, I think it's how she's managed to cope, you know?"

Megan had surmised it was Scarlett's defense mechanism, and they'd left the discussion at that, not wanting to ruminate on why Scarlett needed one in the first place – although obviously Rosalie knew, but wouldn't say without her best friend's permission. It wasn't hers to tell, in Rosalie's eyes.

All Rosalie was willing to tell were the things she had witnessed, had experienced, although she hadn't gone into great detail. It was hard enough to remember without having to look into her dad's heartbroken face as she relived it. Megan had told her that, at some point, she and Scarlett would need to give statements, but it could wait.

And Rosalie could wait forever. The very idea of having to detail the past twelve years of their lives for their families and police to hear was a terrifying one.

A small hand tapping at his leg pulled Edward from his thoughts.

He peered down at Marley, twisted in his lap to look up at him. She had a small quirk to her lips as she pointed across the room. It took him a moment to realize what she was pointing at.

Grinning, Edward stroked the crown of her head and murmured, "You can watch more Spongebob later, little sweet. The doctor will be here soon."

Marley's almost-smile transformed into a fully-fledged one immediately at the mention of the doctor. Dr. Cairns had become a firm favorite, which Edward attributed to his gentle nature, soft voice, and pocketful of sweets. It both did and didn't surprise him that Marley had never experienced the joys of sweets, such as lollies, fudge, and sherbet. The first time the doctor had offered her an apple lolly – or sucker, as he called them – she'd been confused about what she needed to do with it. Scarlett had demonstrated, a look of euphoria on her face as she tasted the sweet treat before handing it to Marley. The little girl had been sold on it, and always beamed when Dr. Cairns did his rounds and offered her a new taste sensation to ease the sting of an unfamiliar face.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Mommy will be back in a minute, too. She's just gone to the bathroom. Don't worry, I'm sure she won't stop you."

"Stop her from doing what?" Scarlett asked, appearing in the doorway.

At the sound of her mother's voice, Marley bounced off the bed and charged towards Scarlett, wrapping her arms around Scarlett's legs while peering up hopefully.

"She wants a lolly when Dr. Cairns gets here," Edward supplied.

Scarlett smiled, bending to scoop her daughter into her arms. Edward bit back his concern that she shouldn't be lifting in her condition, choosing instead to enjoy the sight of Scarlett and Marley's sweet bond.

"If Dr. Cairns offers you a lolly you can have one, okay? But no asking for one, that's rude."

Marley nodded, ponytail whipping behind her head, as the door behind Scarlett opened.

Dr. Cairns strolled in with Charlie, Peter, and Megan right behind him, Rosalie entering a few seconds later with a nurse they'd all grown to like. Lily was a sweet, kind young woman and she adored Marley, which made her popular in everyone's eyes.

"Good morning, Scarlett, Marley," Dr. Cairns grinned, gently tapping the underside of Marley's chin to garner a smile before facing Edward. "Edward, morning."

"Morning, Dr. Cairns."

"All right, so. Shall we get started? Lots to talk about today."

Everyone made themselves comfortable on the various seats around the room. Scarlett and Rosalie sitting side-by-side on one of the beds, Marley still wrapped around her mother, while Edward took a chair. Charlie and Peter perched on the side of the free bed, Megan on another free chair while Dr. Cairns rolled stools over for himself and Lily, the nurse.

"Ok. Rosalie, if you keep taking your vitamins like you have been and keeping your fluid and food intake up, you'll be right as rain in no time. Your oxygen checks have come back clear, so no lasting effects of the smoke inhalation for you."

Rosalie smiled, nodding and joining hands with Scarlett. She wasn't really interested in her own results. It was Scarlett's she was waiting for.

Truthfully, they were all waiting to see what he'd say about Scarlett. About the baby she carried, whose origin even Rosalie didn't know. She felt worried and was hurt that Scarlett hadn't confided in her, and she had no idea who the father might be which made her even more nervous.

Had she spent her days and nights sharing space with not one but two rapists?

"Scarlett, we're going to do a scan in a moment and check what's going on with the baby, but I'll cover everything else first, is that okay?"

With Scarlett's nod, he continued, ignoring the way Charlie gulped hard and Edward's hands clenched in and out of fists with his every breath.

"So you'll be pleased to hear you have no lasting issues from the smoke inhalation either, Edward here did a good job getting you out as quickly as he did. Your head wound is looking great, and the dressing can probably come off after another day or so now that it's all closed up. As with Rosalie, you need to continue with the vitamins and fluids, and I'm going to prescribe some anti-sickness meds so you can eat without being sick every time. If you don't start eating soon, we'll have no choice but to intervene and I really don't want to have to do that. Ideally, we need to get some good food and nutrients into you, as soon as possible."

The mere mention of food had Scarlett feeling nauseated, but she swallowed back the taste of bile and nodded, knowing she needed to start eating more. For one, it was worrying the hell out of her dad, she could tell. And now she needed to start thinking about the other person relying on her being able to eat a decent diet – the baby. The baby couldn't eat if she didn't, and as it was, she could barely manage to be in the same room as food before having to run to a toilet or nearby sink.

"I'll try, Doctor."

He nodded. "Good. Now, I wanted to ask you, did you experience this severe sickness with your first pregnancy?"

"Not at first, no. I didn't have any symptoms at all really until quite near the end. I didn't even feel Marley kick for the first time until exactly a week before she was born. I did get really sick though a few weeks before that, I just thought it was a persistent stomach bug everyone else had had it."

"She didn't even have a bump, not really, and you can see how thin she is. Marley barely showed at all," Rosalie added, her half-smile tinged with both sadness and nostalgia. "You don't have a bump now either, so it's pretty much the same all over again."

Dr. Cairns jotted notes down in the clipboard Lily handed him, smiling once he was done. "Okay, now for the exciting part. Do you want everyone to stay while we do the scan, or would you rather I kick these yahoos out?"

Megan excused herself to answer an incoming call. Lily left the room and returned wheeling an ultrasound machine while Scarlett looked around at the faces of her family members. They were trying to hide it, but each one wore hope in their expressions so blatant that Scarlett could never evict them from the room. They missed this experience the first time around, with Marley, just as she had. And besides, she was absolutely petrified anyway, so there was no real reason not to have her loved ones surrounding her for support.

"They can stay. Please stay," she added, meeting each of their eyes, in turn, ending on Edward. She waved him over, noticing belatedly, the rigid set of his broad shoulders and the narrowing of his eyes. He shook them off, though, when he saw the nerves in her eyes and her hand extended in a plea for support.

It took a few minutes to set the machine up, and then it was time. Lily smiled gently at Scarlett as Dr. Cairns squirted the cool jelly onto her exposed, flat stomach, then reached for the Doppler. He smiled a little as he met her eyes, murmuring a warning seconds before he touched the device to her skin. The room was suddenly filled with a rhythmic thrumming sound that brought tears to the eyes of every adult present. Marley frowned, scooting along the bed, so she was just inches from the ultrasound screen.

In a way, nose-to-nose with her sibling.

Confused, she tapped the screen with a fingertip, looking back at her mother with a knot between her brows. She was used to Spongebob, not this odd, grainy ultrasound imaging.

Scarlett sniffled, brushing a few loose tears from her cheeks with the back of her free hand – the one not squeezing the hell out of Edward's fingers. "Come here, baby girl."

Marley scampered back after one last glance at the image on the screen, leaving enough room for Dr. Cairns to see what he needed to as he moved the Doppler around, looking at all angles of Scarlett's uterus and the baby within.

"You know how you came from my belly? You grew in there, and then you came out to give me and Auntie Rosie cuddles and kisses?"

Charlie chuckled, remembering that that was how he'd explained to Archie and Scarlett about their births. Scarlett shot him a small, sad, half-smile before returning her attention to Marley, who was nodding slowly.

"You see that wiggly shape on the screen over there? That's a baby, like you were. It's in my belly."

Awed, Marley twisted again to face the screen where Dr. Cairns had paused the screen it on a perfectly clear profile shot of the baby. Scarlett, Rosalie, Charlie, Peter, Edward, and the medical staff watched as she crawled towards the screen, reaching out to stroke the top of her baby brother or sister's head, his or her legs, arms, nose. Her eyes were bright with wonder, smile wide and adorable.

"Marley, little sweet, that's your brother or sister," Edward told her when she scampered to him, grabbing his hand and pointing at the screen to make sure he was looking.

"I can actually tell you, brother or sister, if you want to know, Scarlett?" Dr. Cairns interjected gently.

All eyes turned to Scarlett. Wide-eyed and looking just like her daughter, Scarlett opened and closed her mouth like a fish several times before clamping it shut.

"I don't, um…I don't know?"

Edward chuckled, crouching to perch on the edge of the bed beside Scarlett. Tucking an arm around her shoulder, he whispered, "did you want to know with Marley? If you'd had the chance, would you have found out?"

She thought about it for a second, realizing that no, she hadn't wanted to know. Not once had she wished to be able to know if she was lying awake at night while Rosalie slept talking to a boy or a girl. It didn't make a difference; she'd just wanted a healthy baby.

"I don't want to know, but thank you," Scarlett finally murmured. She looked up at Edward, "thank you. I was a bit, caught off guard, I think. I didn't expect to be able to know."

"I'd say you're around thirteen, fourteen weeks, does that sound about right? Around three months?"

Ignoring Rosalie's stare on the side of her face, Scarlett swallowed hard, trying to think back. Frowning, she realized her dates didn't add up. "I think more like four months? Um, it could only be one particular date, and that was over four months ago."

Dr. Cairns nodded, his expression blank, as though he'd expected her answer. "Okay, so I'm not a specialist so don't take everything I say as gospel. Your baby measures a little on the smaller side. At four months, I'd expect him or her to be between four and five inches long from his head to his bottom, your little one is just a touch smaller at the moment. That could change, though, and it's probably down to your lack of a good diet, which can be fixed easily, so don't worry. I don't suppose you know roughly how much Marley weighed at birth, do you?"

"Actually, yes. We had some scales, and we held her while we stood on them to see what the difference was. She was about five pounds, maybe, give or take a couple of ounces."

"God, she was tiny!" Peter exclaimed, looking a bit sheepish when everyone turned to look at him after his outburst.

"My twins each weighed more. Six pounds seven, each."

Dr. Cairns smiled. "Great weights for twins. Gestation?"

"Thirty-seven weeks. How my wife held onto them that long I'll never know."

"Do you know how far along with Marley you were? That might give us some indication as to whether this baby will just be on the smaller side anyway," Dr. Cairns asked Scarlett, laughing when Marley moved back to the screen showing the image of her brother or sister again to take another look.

Scarlett was watching her, too, as she answered. "She was born on my birthday, and I got pregnant near the end of July."

Dr. Cairns did some quick math, then said, "so a few weeks early, then. This one will most likely be on the smaller side as well, but we'll keep a close eye."

He did a few more quick checks, reminding everybody that he wasn't a specialist before offering the services of an OB/GYN and leaving the family to regroup. It was clear they were all overwhelmed, tears streaming over Charlie's cheeks as he stared at the image of his grandchild on the screen, then at the living, breathing proof of Scarlett's ability to nurture even in horrific circumstances. Marley was beaming as she moved from person to person, making sure they'd seen her sibling.

They didn't need him and Lily standing over them while they got to grips with it all, so they made their exit quietly.

 **~ oOo ~**

Throughout the next few days, the misfortune that had followed the girls like a bad smell for the past twelve years began to fall away.

Slowly, with the support of her dad and Megan, Rosalie began to feel more herself. She found comfort in good food she didn't have to slave over, though she missed the routine of a set schedule. She took the vitamins prescribed, and kept her fluid intake up, as requested. Bit by bit, Rosalie pieced herself back together, and it was noticeable. The nurses – kept to a team of four on rotation – commented daily on how well she was looking, how her hair had a healthy sheen now, her skin clearer, weight creeping back on. Even within a few days, there was something different about her shape, something healthy looking. The gaunt edge was gone from her features, replaced with her late mother's classic beauty.

Scarlett was in worse shape, but finally, her head dressing was removed, and she didn't look quite so poorly then. A raised, pink line marked the spot where her head had hit the long-gone floor of the study, but it was fading fast as it healed over. With the anti-sickness medicine doing its thing she'd managed to start eating again, albeit little and often. Her stomach wasn't used to being fed after days of expunging itself every few hours, so she needed to stretch it back to a normal size gradually. With Edward, Charlie, and Rosalie on her case, she never forgot to drink, eat, or take her meds, and she too began to look healthier.

As for Marley…her grandfather and uncles took great delight in feeding her, and finding every sweet treat available to let her try. She'd missed out on a lot, and had the men pandering to her every whim.

The first time she tried chocolate would be burned into Edward's mind for the rest of his life.

The look of pure euphoria on her face, nothing beat it. She'd been a bit of a raving addict ever since, and they'd all been present to witness her first ever tantrum when Scarlett told her 'no' after she'd eaten an entire bar of Hershey's before asking for more. Scarlett had been too shocked to do much of anything at first, having never witnessed her well-behaved baby acting out, so Edward had scooped Marley up and set her on a chair in the corner, as he'd seen Archie do with Carl-Roman countless times when he misbehaved. Later, he'd apologized for taking over, but Scarlett had brushed him off with a flustered flush of her cheeks. She'd never had to deal with the discipline side of things. Marley had never given her cause to, up until then. Megan had explained that, like Scarlett and Rosalie were slowly grasping, Marley was realizing she was safe now, and as such, was confident enough to act out without fear. This had brought on a discussion about Scarlett's initial behavior when she'd been rescued, about why her mind and body had closed her off even from the loved ones she'd missed so much.

She'd finally felt safe enough to break down, to release the emotions she'd hidden on the ranch for the sake of Rosalie and Marley.

It made sense, but Scarlett hated that she'd lost precious days with her family when she'd already missed out on so many.

That said, as she watched Edward and Marley together, she was glad they'd had a chance to bond. They were so precious together. Despite Megan's warning that Marley was becoming used to watching too much television, she was allowed to watch her Spongebob DVD during the evening. She always did so ensconced in Edward's arms, head pillowed against his chest, Mister Eddie in one hand, the other wrapped around Edward's fingers. He doted on her, and in turn, she worshiped him.

It really was adorable, and Scarlett hadn't yet been able to capture it on camera even though she'd tried many a time. Someone had provided a cheap digital camera, and they'd abused it a lot since, having printed the full SD card three or four times in just a few days. As Riley had pointed out, they had a lot to celebrate and document.

One sunny day almost two weeks after the motel fire, Scarlett and Rosalie found themselves alone with Marley for the first time since escaping the ranch.

Charlie was in a therapy session with Megan, Peter had gone with one of the FBI agents on a grocery run – Scarlett's special request tucked in his jean pocket. Edward was making the most of the facilities, abusing the shower and the pack of razors they'd purchased on their last shopping trip. He was long overdue a shave, and it had taken Marley's teasing tugs on his burgeoning beard for him to realize.

Wrapped in a blanket on the bed nearest the window, Scarlett and Rosalie snuggled Marley between them, poring over the pictures the OB/GYN had printed out from her scan earlier in the day. The baby was a little on the small side, she'd said, but it was nothing to worry about. He or she had plenty time to catch up, especially now that Scarlett was eating regular, small meals and under far less stress than before.

"She has Marley's nose," Rosalie said quietly, tapping said button-nose when Marley tipped her head back to grin at her.

"'She'?"

"Yep. I'm betting team pink. I think this one's a girl."

Scarlett sighed, tilting her head. She had no idea. Charlie had told her that he'd been right guessing both of Penelope's pregnancies. He'd known Archie was going to be a boy from the beginning, and had declared Scarlett a girl during the first scan when she'd been a total diva and wouldn't let them see her face. Shouldn't she know? Or have an inkling? When she was pregnant with Marley, she'd been utterly terrified, and the idea of gender hadn't crossed her mind until very late on. With this little one, she could know right that second if she called Dr. Nancy. This pregnancy was already so different from her first.

For one, she was safe, and had medical assistance this time.

They came to the end of the sonogram pictures then, and the top of a photo underneath caught Scarlett's eye. She moved it to the front, smiling wide when she took in the image.

It was Marley and Edward, their heads hunched together like schoolchildren sharing secrets. They were sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the floor-to-ceiling window across the room, and had a stack of wooden blocks between them. Scarlett didn't remember seeing them like this, so it must have been while she was asleep or something. They were lit from behind by the setting sun, which brought out the blonde highlights in Marley's otherwise dark locks, and made Edward's copper hair shine. The blocks between them were in a rough tower formation but slightly blurred. They were falling. Marley's face was drawn in shock, Edward's in amusement. Clearly, he'd had a hand in the destruction of the tower, and was finding Marley's subsequent reaction funny.

Marley huffed a silent laugh, reaching out to touch Edward's hair and looking to Scarlett in question.

"He'll be back in a little while, baby girl," she promised, glancing towards the door and finding herself disappointed that he didn't appear. She missed him, Scarlett realized.

Marley pouted, but took the photos from her mother's hands and flicked through, pointing out herself to Rosalie in every picture.

Meanwhile, Scarlett held the picture of Edward and her daughter, memorizing the scene so that she'd never forget what it looked like to see Marley happy, to see her content and with people who adored her. One day in the future, she hoped to see the same scene only in a place she tried to pull from memories years old, faded from lack of use. She hoped to see Marley playing with the little boy she knew was named after her as closely as possible. Carl, for Scarlett, and Roman because it was as close to Rosalie as Archie had been able to get –, running amok in her dad's garden, making a mess with toys in the living room she and her brother had once trashed as children. It was all so tantalizingly close now, and Scarlett couldn't wait for it to happen.

Little did she know, the day her wishes would come to fruition was fast approaching.

The day they'd get to go home was coming.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**~ oOo ~**

 **As always, thank you to you awesome lot for loving  
these characters as much as I do! And for reviewing  
and recc'ing, it means so very much that you've all  
been so lovely and supportive of this, my first fic!  
**

 **And thank you to the best beta in the world,  
** **SunflowerFran. She takes my rough and ready  
** **chapters and makes them pretty for me.**

 **Many of you have been waiting for this chapter, so  
I'll just let you get to it!**

 **Happy Mothers Day, to all of you mums out there  
\- to human babies or otherwise! My spotty  
Dalmatian furbaby got me flowers and a lovely  
card! :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

Two weeks and four days after the girls' rescue saw them preparing for their return to England.

Both of them had been cleared by the doctor for travel, including Scarlett, now that her nutritional needs were in hand and she had gained a few pounds. The sachets of protein and carb rich food the doctors prescribed didn't go down well, but Scarlett knew it was for the benefit of the baby growing within her. She did as she was told, and along with Rosalie she forced them down and tried not to think about the next one until it was time.

For Rosalie, the thick drinks weren't such an issue. She was still desperate to get to that elusive 'normal' she longed for.

Late in the afternoon, Riley left for New York to finalize the travel preparations. Before he tore away from the hospital amidst a cloud of dust, he shook Charlie and Peter's hands, promising that when he returned it would be to oversee their journey home. Left outside the hospital watching Riley's black car speed away, Charlie and Peter felt themselves loosen with the relief his promise brought them.

"You feeling okay?" Peter turned his head, facing his best friend.

"I don't know," Charlie shrugged, looking bewildered. "I'm just…I'm overwhelmed, I think."

Peter nodded, empathetic and understanding his tornado-like emotional mood-swings.

"All this time our goal has been to get the girls back. Now we have them, and it's just so _different_ to how I pictured, you know? We never wanted to think the worst, but maybe we should've. Just to be prepared, you know? This whole situation, it's not what I imagined at all…" Charlie trailed off.

Neither man needed him to finish his explanation. In all their searching, they hadn't thought to imagine Scarlett and Rosalie in this state, with a five-year-old in tow and an unborn baby cooking in Scarlett's belly. Sometimes, when he looked at his daughter he was still shocked to see how poor a state she was in, her bones still visible in places, face still a little too gaunt. It stressed him out to be so unsure of how to act around her, around Rosalie too. He hated feeling awkward when he desperately wanted to just _be_. In his and Peter's minds, there would have been a tearful, smiling reunion with a million hugs. In their naivety and hope they now realized were foolish, they'd assumed the girls would be healthy and returned to them in the same state in which they'd been taken. It hurt for them to admit, even just to themselves, that they weren't all the girls needed right now. Scarlett and Rosalie needed more than they could give, despite their best intentions.

"You're right, it's not what we imagined," Peter began quietly, reaching over to clap his friend's shoulder. "It's not what we imagined at all, but in a lot of ways, it's so much more. We have our girls, and they're getting better. Day by day they're getting healthier. And we have Marley; you have another grandbaby to love on."

Charlie smiled instinctively at the mention of Marley, his thoughts moving to her baby brother or sister.

"Two grandbabies, soon." Peter took the thought from his head, voicing it. He grinned. "We wanted our girls back and we have them, Chuck. They're coming home with us so soon, you heard what Riley said. We get to take Scarlett and Rosalie, and Marley, _home_. Two weeks ago we didn't know if we'd ever get to say that."

Charlie dashed a rogue tear from his eye, coughing and facing Peter with a half-smile. "You're right, Pete. We're the lucky ones."

Peter and Charlie grinned at each other, passers-by probably thinking they were crazy. They didn't care. Because, like Peter had pointed out, they got to take their girls home after twelve long years.

 **~ oOo ~**

" _She only did that 'cause she knows Tony likes playing jumping jacks better with you, Rosie."_

" _She's so_ mean _. And did you see her socks? She wore them on Friday, and they still had the paint on 'em."_

 _Scarlett screwed her face up, adjusting the purple bag over her shoulders. "Ew! Doesn't she know you're s'posed to change them every day?"_

 _Rosalie snickered. "Guess not." Her face fell slightly. "D'you think Tony_ likes _her?"_

 _The two eight-year-olds considered each other thoughtfully as they strolled home from school arm-in-arm. Their dads had only just started letting them walk home on their own a few weeks ago. They decided that because their primary school was only a few minutes from home and they'd be with friends, it would be okay. Usually, they walked with two boys from just down their street, but they'd had dentist appointments that day, so their mum had picked them up right from school._

 _Chattering away about Tony, the boy Rosalie had crushed on forever, as they so often did, neither girl noticed the shiny red van crawling along the road behind them. The beady-eyed man at the wheel gestured for his passenger to get ready, scanning the road in his mirrors before pulling up and hopping from the van._

 _He and his companion, a tall guy with lank black hair and a sinister grin, crept up behind the girls, shared a quick glance, then pounced._

 _Within seconds, Scarlett and Rosalie were caged in the arms of the men while being carried, squirming and emitting muffled screams into hands clasped tightly over their mouths. In the struggle, Scarlett dropped her bag, the contents spilling out onto the pavement as she was shoved into the back of the vehicle with her friend. The man who'd been driving before slammed the doors, climbed into the cab and peeled away from the scene of the crime at break-neck speed, which made the unwilling passengers shriek, tumbling into each other against the mesh divider. In the darkness, Scarlett huddled Rosalie close, shaking with fear. Just as she sucked in a breath to scream, tears sprang to her eyes, their attacker sliding towards her. His teeth glinted white in the limited light peeking through from the front._

" _Don't scream, or you'll really regre—"_

 _Whilst speaking he'd moved closer. He knelt so the chloroform soaked rags he held in each hand would be level with the girls' mouths. However, his plan didn't go exactly how he'd thought, because as he leaned in to press them to the girls' faces a foot clad in a black, heeled shoe shot out. A string of profanities flew from his mouth upon impact, the surprising strength behind the kick splitting the skin on the right side of his jaw. Blood sprayed in an arc over the girls, staining their white uniform blouses._

 _Not that Garrett Smith could've known, but the scar Rosalie left on his face that day would eventually be his undoing._

"Scarlett! Scarlett, it's okay, it's okay. It's just me. It's just me, Edward."

Scarlett woke with a start from her nightmare, panting and shaking with a tear-stained face. Blurred blue-green eyes slowly focused on emerald green.

 _Edward_ , she sighed internally, reaching for his hand.

He pulled her gently up to a sitting position, gazing at her with kind, worried eyes. "Nightmare?"

Scarlett managed a weary nod, glancing around the room. It was dark, so she'd obviously slept right through after falling asleep earlier in the afternoon. Everything had caught up with her, and she'd been exhausted, drifting off to the sounds of Charlie and Peter teaching Marley how to play _Go Fish_.,

Rosalie was fast asleep in her bed a few feet away, Charlie and Peter most likely down the hall in the waiting room where the nurses had set up a bedroom of sorts for the three men. Frowning, Scarlett realized she couldn't see Marley.

"Where's Marley?"

"She came to wake me when she realized you were dreaming," Edward admitted with a grimace, knowing it would upset Scarlett to hear that Marley had realized what was happening.

He was right. Scarlett's face crumbled, tears wetting her cheeks.

"It's okay, Bella Bean, she doesn't know it was a nightmare. She woke up, and I guess she didn't think you were comfy or something, so she came and got me."

Scarlett sighed, leaning back and accepting the tissue Edward snagged from the rolling cabinet beside the bed. "Thanks."

A few minutes passed, the pair sitting in silence lit only by the moonlight filtering through the slits in the blinds.

Then, a thought struck Scarlett.

"You're the only one who calls me 'Bella,' did you know that? Everyone else calls me 'Scarlett.'

Edward grinned sheepishly. "I always thought it suited you better, I don't know why. Especially when you went through your _Beauty And The Beast_ phase, and always wore the Belle costume."

Scarlett's cheeks flamed at the memory. Charlie had bought her the yellow dress synonymous with the date scene in the movie, and she'd worn it pretty much non-stop for weeks.

"I can call you 'Scarlett' if you want me to, it's just habit, I guess."

It surprised Scarlett when she thought about it for a moment, realizing she liked the distinction being called 'Bella' gave her. With Edward, when she was Bella, she was just a normal girl talking to a friend. She wasn't Scarlett, the girl who'd been kidnapped, beaten, and raped.

She was just Bella.

"No, I like it," she admitted.

Edward smiled, nodding. "Alrighty then. Bella it is."

As he made to stand, likely leaving her to rest now she was okay, and again, Scarlett felt her heart speed up a notch. She didn't want to be alone. Not yet.

"It was the van!" She blurted out, cringing as soon as the words fell into the space between them.

Turning, Edward cocked his head in confusion. "What was the van?"

Scarlett sighed, "my nightmare. I was dreaming about the van we…the van _he_ …the day we were taken." The words felt like lead on her tongue. They didn't want to come out, and she didn't want them to taint the ordinary conversation she'd been having with Edward just moments before. But there they were, out there. She couldn't take them back.

"Thank you, for trusting me." Edward perched back on the bed, pulling Scarlett into his arms gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't think so. I just wanted you to know. I'm so sick of keeping it to myself.

Edward nodded although he didn't know. He had no idea what she was going through, but if it made her feel better he'd say 'yes' to anything; he'd _do_ anything.

"Will you stay with me a little while? I don't have nightmares when you're around and I, well, I'm actually really damn tired."

Pulling back to give her a soft smile, Edward brushed her hair away from her face and simply nodded, adjusting them so they were lying beside one another, Scarlett under the covers while he stayed atop them – that was a boundary he wasn't willing to cross. Their breathing evened out and synchronized until, as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, the pair fell asleep curled around each other.

 **~ oOo ~**

The twenty-fifth of May dawned bright and sunny with wispy clouds that floated like cotton candy across a clear blue sky. As the sun bounded over the horizon the hospital room the girls had taken over, turned into a hive of activity.

Today was the day.

Riley arrived in the night with the all-clear to get Charlie, Peter, Edward, and the girls on their first leg of their road to recovery. He also bore the news that there had been a potential sighting of Garrett. His team was following up on it.

A month after the ranch house exploded with Garrett, there had been as few conversations regarding him as possible, especially when the girls were around. Needless to say, there wasn't a single person in the house who relished the thought of the girls' statements, which would need to be given sooner rather than later. The ordeal hung over the heads of their dads, their minds like dark clouds.

For Scarlett and Rosalie, the thought of leaving the hospital carried mixed emotions. They felt safe there, for the first time in years, and had no idea what to expect of the world they were about to be thrust back into. It had been twelve, long years, and lots of things had changed exponentially in that time. Technology was the first thing they'd noticed. And cars, too. They were totally different to the older models they recalled from their childhood.

"Baby girl, do you want something to eat before we…?"

Turning away from the window facing over the hospital parking lot, Scarlett winced at her dad's hopeful expression. He used his whole face to express his emotions, something he'd always done, and looking at him looking at her with such pleading written across his features there was little that Scarlett wouldn't at least try to do. That included forcing down one of the god-awful tasting sachets of food. She'd skipped breakfast, her nervousness killing her appetite.

Scarlett's hesitant nod put a big grin on Charlie's face. She was immediately pleased with her decision not to fight him.

"Here you go. You don't have to finish it, just as much as you can manage, as you didn't have any breakfast. Thank you, for humoring me."

Unable to form words through the lump in her throat, Scarlett nodded, pulling a breath through her nose before breaking the seal on the sachet he thrust into her weary hands. With eyes squeezed shut and the expression on Charlie's face locked into her minds-eye, Scarlett clamped her lips around the small straw and thought of her baby as she forced herself to eat.

With a full stomach, Scarlett made her way over to the rest of the group. They were gathered on chairs near the window, Marley leaving Edward's lap to ask to be picked up. Ignoring the several glowers she earned herself by stooping to pick up Marley herself, Scarlett gave her daughter an Eskimo kiss before steeling herself and looking to Riley. He smiled at the eye contact, knowing it was an incredible feat for her to manage without prompting.

He was proud of how far she'd come, how far she and Rosalie both had come.

"All right, a car will be arriving shortly to take us all to the airport. The plane is fueled and waiting to take us to New York, where we've got an overnight stay before we fly back to England tomorrow morning," Riley explained briskly.

Scarlett tuned out the rest of his explanation, trying to wrap her head around the fact that in twenty-four hours she'd be back in Eastbourne.

Instead of focusing on that particular stressor, she contemplated the quiet argument she'd heard earlier in the morning between her dad, Peter, and Riley.

Riley needed their statements, which neither Charlie nor Peter were happy about.

Charlie and Peter were harnessing every protective instinct they had to prevent their girls from having to recount their ordeal any time soon. They were very aware it would need to happen at some point, but if they had their way, it would be a long time before that day came.

Scarlett herself was torn. On the one hand she wanted to get it over with so she could focus all her energy on getting better. However, she knew the agents were going to ask in-depth questions and want detailed answers. They'd want to know if Garrett had committed any other crimes, and if he had, what they were. She'd have to talk about things like how he kidnapped them, how he got them out of England and into the States undetected.

Worst of all, Scarlett knew they'd ask about the scars marring her skin, and about Marley's biological father.

A frisson of fear skittered over her when she realized something that was obvious, but hadn't crossed her mind before.

The FBI was going to want to know the name of the father of the baby she currently carried.

There were six scars she kept hidden by clothes, but Scarlett was sure the agents would want to know about them, about how they got there in the first place. Nothing good would come of lying, but the thought of reliving how they came to be was terrifying.

Glancing at her dad from the corner of her eye, Scarlett fought a wince, hating that he'd have to find out how she'd lived for the past twelve years. He'd be gutted.

Fingers weaving themselves together with hers tugged Scarlett from her thoughts. Her eyes caught Rosalie's teary baby-blues. "Are you ready?"

They were the exact same words Scarlett had spoken the day they escaped the ranch.

Scarlett nodded, squeezing Rosalie's hand and pushing herself up. She and Rosalie were matching, both sporting bleached skinny jeans and black, asymmetric zip hoodies. Their shoes – Rosalie's black sneakers, Scarlett's beige – made no sound as they stepped away from the bed, awaiting direction. Duffle bags were shouldered, Marley's portable DVD player and toys were packed into a drawstring bag, and the girls were ushered out of the room with the men in a square around them. Marley chose to hold Edward's hand and skip beside him, so they stuck close to Scarlett and Rosalie. Edward had seen the way Scarlett's eyes routinely checked on her as they moved through the corridors. If keeping her daughter as close as possible helped keep Scarlett calm, he was happy to do it.

With angry, eagle-like butterflies swooping in her stomach, Scarlett followed Riley, Charlie, and Peter towards the side entrance of the hospital where their ride was waiting. When she reached the doors, Scarlett stopped dead. Since arriving at the safe house, she'd been outside exactly three times. Now, with the loading bays looming in front of her through the sliding glass doors, Scarlett couldn't get her feet to move.

"You've got this, Barley. _You've got this_ ," Rosalie urged in a whisper, the small smile on her face meant to be reassuring.

Edward and Marley had gone ahead with Riley, Charlie, and Peter, and Scarlett watched as Marley swung from Edward's arms and beckoned her outside to join them.

"There's nothing to be afraid of out here, Bella," Edward murmured, his voice barely loud enough to carry to her. "Look around you, no one here will let anything happen to you."

Nervous aqua eyes took in her surroundings, sweeping over each face peering at her with gentle eyes and encouraging smiles. Riley had agents stationed around the loading bays, nobody else around apart from their little group. Riley himself was standing around six feet away, his stance protective but reassuringly firm. Charlie and Peter's presence was a beam of light in her mind, their warmth soothing the chill in her bones. The balmy air making the flag atop the hospital dance was gentle on her skin as she managed a step towards the outside.

Edward was right, Scarlett acknowledged, inhaling fresh air deep into her lungs. None of those people would hurt her any more than they'd let Garrett hurt her. As difficult as it was to find some, Scarlett mustered up enough trust and courage to step out into the direct sunlight on the concrete path leading to the SUV. Charlie's resulting relieved grin was brilliant, eyes following her slow but steady progress towards him. Rays of sunlight bounced from her hair braided over one shoulder, giving it the healthy sheen it had been lacking in the artificial light within the hospital.

Each step was a mission Scarlett was determined to conquer, and when she finally made it to within touching distance of the SUV, nobody could squash the grin that spread across her face.

 **~ oOo ~**

Six hours later, the group touched down in New York after two flights and a layover in Minneapolis. With the two-hour time difference, they arrived at their hotel just after five-thirty, travel-weary and ready to rest. For Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley the journey was a completely foreign experience. The last time they'd traveled that distance in the air they'd been knocked out by a cocktail of sedatives. The pair spent both flights tucked into each other's side, their eyes trained on the window as they soared across the United States towards an unknown future. Charlie and Peter were watchful as ever, unable to take their eyes off their daughters. Even after witnessing their strong bond be tested over the past month, they found it awe inspiring to see it in action. As often as they'd wondered, hoped, and prayed their girls would keep each other strong, they could never have foreseen the way they'd cling to the presence of the other, the way when one moved the other seemed to automatically compensate.

Their senses were unparalleled, their movements undetectable to those around them unless they meant them to be. Having spent years perfecting undercover techniques, Riley often found himself fascinated by the girls, wondering if their way of moving was something they'd always done or whether it was developed on the ranch. He chose not to ask, preferring to think it was the former.

After checking into the hotel the group was show to the penthouse suite. It boasted three bedrooms, a large living area, dining room and kitchen, and two bathrooms and a wet room attached to the master bedroom. A unanimous decision granted Rosalie, Scarlett, and Marley, the master with Charlie and Peter taking the twin room next door, leaving Edward the third.

It didn't surprise anybody when the girls retreated to their room almost as soon as they arrived, curling together on the double bed while the rest of the group settled themselves in for a night at the luxurious hotel. Tomorrow morning they'd board the third and final plane. It would take them to Gatwick Airport where they'd then get into a car, which would deliver them to the homes they hadn't seen since they left for school over twelve years ago. It was a daunting prospect but one they'd been dreaming of since the day they woke up in a strange house with a sadistic man as.

 **~ oOo ~**

Sock-clad feet padded quietly across the carpet, carrying their owner into the pitch-black kitchen where they opened up the fridge, pulled out a bottle of water, and gulped the cold liquid eagerly.

As they turned to head back to their room, a silhouette on the sofa became visible. A large hand reached to flick on the light, illuminating the kitchen and living area in a soft glow. Charlie and Rosalie blinked at each other.

"Rosalie? What are you doing up?"

She shrugged meekly and picked invisible lint from her cropped gray joggers. "I couldn't sleep."

Charlie's eyes flicked towards the door to the room she shared with Scarlett and Marley.

"She's asleep. She had a nightmare, but she fell asleep again." Their eyes met. "She's getting better, Uncle Chuck."

"I know," he breathed, tugging at his hair. "I know she is." Wary of upsetting Rosalie, Charlie moved to sit on the sofa next to her, giving her plenty of time to object if she wanted to. Rosalie didn't, so he plopped himself down on the other end of the seat. "Thank you," he suddenly blurted.

Rosalie frowned. "For what?"

"Looking after her when you're hurting, yourself. For being there for her when I can't…for being her sister when she desperately needs one." A shuddering exhale made the sofa tremble as Charlie twisted to face Rosalie, reaching out to clasp her hands in his. "Christ, I don't know what we'd do without you, Rosalie, I really don't. I hate to think…"

"I owe it to her. I owe her everything, Uncle Chuck, _everything_."

Horrified, Charlie scrambled for tissues as tears started to tumble over Rosalie's cheeks like chalk off a click.

"All the things she's done for me…I'll never be able to make it up to her. There isn't anything I can do—" Choked up, she trailed off with a muffled sob, and a hand rose to her mouth.

"Hey, hey, it's all right." Before he could decide if hugging her was something she'd be okay with, Rosalie dove into his arms, face buried in his chest, legs tucked beneath her as her hands clutched at Charlie's black ribbed vest. "It's okay Rosalie; it's all going to be okay."

Though Rosalie wasn't his daughter or related to him in any way biologically, Charlie had always cared about her in the same way he adored his brother's five children. For the first eight years of her life, she'd spent as much time in his house as she did at her own. The girls would use a broken fence panel between the two gardens to play with Archie, Heidi, and Pippa. Scarlett and Rosalie had doted upon the younger twins, dressing them in their clothes and making them ride in their toy baby strollers. And then there was Archie…he'd loved taking the girls to the park, the swimming pool, the soft-play center in town. For Rosalie's entire life she and Scarlett had been more sisters than friends, so it didn't come as a shock to Charlie that he felt his heart swelling with love for her exactly the same as he did for Scarlett when she got upset.

"You'd hate me if you knew," Rosalie sniffled.

"No, Rosalie, _no._ I'd never hate you, never."

The pair sat in silence broken only by her shallow sobs and his quiet murmurs of comfort. After ten minutes, Rosalie finally got ahold of herself and pulled back to wipe her wet eyes, regarding Charlie warily.

"The scar above her right eye…not the newest one, the other one. The older scar?"

Charlie ignored the thinly veiled insinuation that there was more than one scar on Scarlett's body and nodded, cautious.

"That's there because of me." Before he could ask, Rosalie rushed on. "I knocked over a table with a vase on it a couple of years ago. We cleaned it up, and I didn't think he knew, but the next day she had a cut on her head. Scarlett told me she hit it on the bathroom cupboard but I was only gone a minute and it wasn't bleeding like it was fresh. I found out later that she went and told him it was her so I wouldn't get in trouble."

For ten, long, heart-in-mouth seconds Rosalie watched Charlie's brows knit together, his mouth tightening into a thin line as his heart began to race beneath her fist on his chest.

"I'm so, _so_ , sorr—"

"Don't you date apologize for him. Don't."

Fresh tears flooded baby-blue eyes. It was my fault, though, Uncle Chuck. If I'd just been more careful, or admitted it was me, she wouldn't have that scar! She wouldn't have most of them if it weren't for me. I got her in trouble so many times, and she just took it, she took it all. She never blamed me, and I hate that she didn't. I've never felt so useless."

"Oh, Rose…" Hearing the nickname Charlie bestowed upon her when she was just a toddler, the same one Scarlett used every now and then, made Rosalie's heart beat a frantic tattoo. The surreal situation seemed, at this moment, incomprehensible. "It's not your fault. None of it ever was. Do you hear me? None of it. That's why Scarlett doesn't blame you. You're _not to blame_."

Rosalie inhaled a deep, wobbly breath, letting it out with a quick glance at Charlie's sincere, five 'o clock-shadowed face. "I think I'll go back to bed, try and get some sleep for tomorrow."

"All right," Charlie sighed, bone-weary despite having not been able to sleep just twenty minutes ago. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

She nodded her agreement and murmured her 'goodnight' before hurrying away from the sofa towards her room. Just as Rosalie's fingers reached the door handle her uncle's voice stilled her.

"Just…remember what I said, okay?"

Though it was difficult for her to hear and even harder to accept, Rosalie nodded again. She'd try. That was all she could promise.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**~ oOo ~**

Ok, so we've far surpassed **150 favourites, 300 alerts,  
** and **350** **reviews**! I honestly can't believe how well this  
has been received so far.

So, in other news, I'd like to thank my Pinky Promises Dream Team,  
 **SunflowerFran** and **annaharding**. Withouth them, his would be  
a messy shell. They take my ramblings and make them prettier.

I've been insanely busy this week so I haven't managed to  
get to many reviews, but I promise I'll try harder this week!  
Thank you for being patient with me.

Some of you may know already, but I'm working on an  
Emmett outtake, and hoping to post it this coming week  
or next, so keep your eyes peeled for that if you're wanting  
to hear from him :)

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

During the time they'd spent in America, Scarlett and Rosalie didn't often allow themselves to think of England, or their families, and homes. It was always easier not to, because they didn't know if they'd ever get to see those people or places as anything other than fuzzy memories through eight-year-old eyes. But every now and then it was inevitable that they'd think of old times such as Mothers and Father's Day, for example, or the birthdays of their parents and siblings. Christmases would be cold and snowy but go uncelebrated at Garrett's insistence. The ranch wouldn't smell of Scarlett's favorite treat; gingerbread, or home-baked puddings nobody except Peter's father-in-law, Roy, would eat. There was never a tree decorated with homemade stars or the angel Rosalie always got to put on the top.

Worst of all, there wouldn't be the loud, festive music the children danced to while singing along joyously in their Christmas outfits. Easter egg hunts were nonexistent, as were Halloween parties with trick-or-treating and apple-bobbing in an old washing-up bowl.

Marley had never experienced the magic of a visit from Santa Claus, had never worn a silly costume for Halloween, or celebrated a birthday with wrapped gifts and a birthday cake. She didn't know what those things were.

For these occasions, Charlie and Peter had gone all-out with the decorations, especially after their mothers had passed. They wanted the children to have more than just horrific funerals to remember. They wanted their childhoods to be filled with good memories despite the tragedy, even though they, themselves, were battling despair.

With those thoughts in the back of her mind, Rosalie couldn't believe how much the world had changed. In the years she, Scarlett, and Marley had been holed up on the ranch she'd been imagining the world the same as it had been when she'd left it. Yet from the back of the tinted-windowed, black SUV, she stared at the streets in shock, because they'd changed beyond recognition.

The cars on the road and in the driveways were shinier, more modern version of the ones she remembered. The houses were newer in style with bright, white window frames, lawns manicured to within an inch of their lives, people wearing clothes so different from the kind she remembered from her childhood. Children played with toys on their front lawns, toys she could only have dreamed of. It was Saturday, so there were many children out enjoying the fine spring sun. It made Rosalie shudder to think there were people out there like Garrett Smith just waiting for an opportunity to snatch the little blond boy playing in his front garden on a scooter, or to bundle the curly, black-haired girl across the street in the back of a waiting van.

"You okay?" A voice whispered.

Rosalie tipped her head to the side, lips curling up shakily at Scarlett. "I'm good. You?"

Scarlett's shoulders lifted and fell in the tiniest of shrugs. She wasn't sure. Nervous anticipation clung to her body.

"I didn't expect everything to look so different," Rosalie admitted in a murmur only meant for Scarlett's ears. Charlie and Peter continued their quiet conversation in the row, two back from them, Riley and their escorting police officer silent in the front. Scarlett shot a quick glance over her shoulder, smiling at the sight that greeted her.

Edward and Marley, thick as thieves, as usual, were sitting together, their heads bent over the coloring book Charlie had bought at Gatwick upon their arrival.

His first gift to his granddaughter.

Marley was scolding Edward by tapping his fingers with the end of her pencil, pointing to where she was coloring inside the lines. Tilting her head, Scarlett realized it was a bunny they were working on. She didn't need to look at Mister Eddie belted beside Marley to know that they were coloring his replica on the page, right down to the blue-string scar on his ear from where Marley had rubbed the fabric until it split when she was a toddler.

"Neither did I," she finally responded to Rosalie. "Do you think…do you think the houses will look the same?"

Rosalie had been thinking the same thing, wondering if their dads had changed the only homes they'd ever known.

Like Charlie and Peter had needed to come to terms with the girls being different from how they'd been when they left, Scarlett and Rosalie were unsure as to whether they'd shortly be arriving at homes they didn't recognize.

"I don't…I mean, probably not. It's been a long time, right? They've probably changed them."

The girls were unwilling to dwell on it too long, so they went back to watching houses pass them by through the tinted window.

As they passed a supermarket that hadn't been there twelve years before, shoppers paused while unpacking groceries from their trollies to speculate on who could be inside the convoy. An old lady waiting for a bus with her young grandson eyed it shrewdly, catching a glimpse of the uniformed officer in the driver's seat. The train lines were down next to Hampden Park Train Station so traffic wrapped around the roundabout. A lot of eyes followed the SUV and the police car close on its tail as they cruised through the lane to turn onto Lottbridge Drive.

Scarlett and Rosalie shared a tentative smile as they passed number eleven, where two of their friends from school lived.

The bus stop that had been falling apart when they were taken had been repaired and painted bright blue with an electronic timetable next to it, although at a glance the girls had no idea what it was. Their experiences with technology were limited to an old TV they'd never used and kitchen appliances. At the bottom of the hill punctuating Lottbridge Drive as it curved onto Kingston Road stood a graffiti-covered phone box as well as an apple-red postbox, a group of seven ten-year-old's playing football on the grass just as Scarlett and Rosalie had so long ago.

Charlie and Peter halted their conversation to watch the girls' reactions to the streets surrounding their homes, one in particular. As the SUV pulled to one side to allow an oncoming trio of cars to pass, Scarlett's body began to tremble violently. Rosalie's eyes were wide open even though she desperately wanted to close them at the sight of Southern Road.

It was like a train wreck. You hated to, but couldn't help but watch the devastation unfold.

Four doors into the road where a young woman chatted to a friend in her car was the exact spot where Scarlett's bag had lain, its contents scattered over the pavement until Charlie discovered it thirty minutes after the girls should have returned home. It was then he'd realized it was time to panic, calling first the police and then Peter, who'd been picking Heidi and Pippa up from preschool a few minutes away. Though inconspicuous to most, Southern Road symbolized the gates to hell for the girls, who were unable to take their eyes away from the spot where a blue car idled outside number seven.

Twelve years ago, it was there that Garrett Smith had pulled over while he snatched two innocent school children.

 _Unbidden, the scents and sounds of that day washed over Scarlett and Rosalie. The pungent aroma of the rose garden Margaret Johnson of number three tended to mercilessly every morning. A brindle Staffordshire bullterrier barked throatily from the window of number two, her cataract-impaired vision allowing her only to see the blurred shapes of the girls meandering along arm-in-arm._

 _And then, the rumble of an engine behind them, an innocent sound to their unsuspecting ears. The smell of cigarette smoke on the black-haired man, his arm winding around Rosalie's middle while his left muffled her surprised screams._

 _Garrett Smith's sickeningly sweet aftershave wafting through the air. The coarse material of his jumper scratching at the skin that Scarlett's short-sleeved polo left bare…_

Gradually, Peter's voice cut into the flashback of that fateful day. "Girls? It's okay, we're right here. You're safe."

 _February 7_ _th_ _._

Not entirely registering the words he was saying, the wide, panicked eyes of the girls met Peter's, their bodies instinctively turning towards a voice they were swiftly beginning to realize embodied the feeling of safety.

"Daddy…" Rosalie whimpered, a fat tear sliding over her cheek.

"It's all right, honey, it's all right." It killed Peter that he couldn't get to her, couldn't comfort her. "Look, we're almost on our street. We're almost there."

Mindlessly following Peter's suggestion, Scarlett and Rosalie's heads turned in tandem to gaze out of the window. Their surroundings seeped into their eyes slowly. They were passing Tugwell Park.

Football and rainbows, sunny days and rainy puddles…Summers with Archie, Edward, and the twins.

As they passed the field where they'd spent many a day – sunny or otherwise –, aqua and baby-blue eyes spotted the large apple tree on the bend connecting the road they were on to the next street, the boughs of that tree having witnessed many games of hide and seek, having listened to the secrets of giggly little girls and muddy-kneed boys.

"Are you ready to go home, girls?" Riley's expression was kind, open, and gentle as the girls faced him.

 _Home_.

Such a simple word, such a complex meaning for two girls who'd been through more trauma in their twenty-one years of life than most people saw in an entire lifetime.

Sharing a look that said everything they wanted to express but couldn't at this moment, they breathed deeply, exhaling at the same time as their heads tipped in synchronized agreement.

Never more proud of them than they were then, Charlie and Peter sat with clenched fists in the back, watching their daughters intently as the SUV crept down the road they both knew well. However, the girls had little recollection of how much their memories had been blurred by time.

The small garden in front of a house that used to belong to an eccentric old man was now littered with children's outdoor toys. Number fourteen had been painted pale yellow instead of chipped-white with brick showing through here and there. The Robertson's two-person convertible had been replaced with a minivan to accommodate their six children under age ten. As the numbers of the houses on the doors got closer and closer to the one-hundred-and-sixties, Scarlett and Rosalie's fingers twined and squeezed. Hard.

Edward drew Marley's attention away from her coloring, pointing out the window and murmuring for her to look. She was excited, kneeling up to peer out with her face against the glass between her small hands. He grinned at her, charmed by the little girl's childish pleasure.

Twin hearts thundered rhythmically. Stomachs knotted in nervous anticipation. The atmosphere in the SUV went from tense to beyond petrified within a fraction of a second. Riley's ice-blue eyes locked on the girls' faces in the rear-view mirror. They shivered, quaked, and whispered fervent reassurances to one another.

Then, they were there. Right outside.

Home was within reach.

Scarlett blinked long eyelashes at the house in which she'd spent her first eight years of life. The red-brown brick was the same, as was the white molding on the left side, and the little triangular porch over the front door. The eight windows were in the same places they'd always been. A dark blue family car was parked on the driveway to the right while a little boy's scooter lay abandoned on a scruffy lawn. To the left of the house was a tree, its blossom spreading across the grass with every soft puff of the warm breeze. And beside it, an identical house sat, a small tree in the center instead of a scooter. Scarlett's body shuddered, tears tumbling over her cheeks to splash her white-knuckled fists.

"It's the same…" she breathed in wonder. The exultation she felt was completely unexpected. Apart from little touches here and there – plants, the mat on the doorstep and the child's scooter on the grass – both houses were identical to the girls' memories.

"Do you want to go inside? I'm afraid out here we're probably attracting attention," Riley prompted gently. He didn't want to upset anybody, but already he had an agent notifying him through his ear piece that a nosy neighbor across the street was peering through her curtains at them. They'd gone ahead and set up security cameras in and around Charlie and Peter's homes, with the focus on Charlie's as they'd made the decision to head there on arrival in England.

In the early days, when Charlie had moved in with his wife, and Peter with his, they'd often congregated at Charlie's house.

Rosalie nodded for the both of them, so Officer Burgess and Riley climbed from the SUV. The latter then slid open the door separating the girls from the outside world while the officer let Charlie and Peter out through the rear door. They peered in at their girls, not wanting to pressure them but knowing they needed to get inside soon.

"It's time, Barley," Rosalie whispered softly.

"We're in this together, right Rose?"

"Always."

With that, they steeled themselves and slid across the leather seats, stepping out onto the pavement at the same time, their hands locked between them, eyes wide open to take in everything at once.

Charlie walked ahead quickly to open the door while Peter stayed a foot or so behind the girls, Edward at his side with Marley on his hip, Mister Eddie's ear firmly between her teeth as she gazed at the home looming ever closer with trepidation, nervous now that they'd arrived.

Riley kept right back with the police officer, arms crossed over his chest, eyes suspiciously wet. The officer glanced his way with a smirk.

"All right, all right. I'm not made of fucking stone," the American grunted, earning himself a rueful chuckle.

"Hey, I'm not judging. I gotta daughter about their age." Officer Burgess shook his head, light brown hair flopping down over his forehead. "Can't imagine what those guys're going through."

Riley wiped his eyes roughly as they followed the family into the house. Not for the first time, he was thankful he'd never have to know how Charlie or Peter felt at that moment.

Inside, Scarlett and Rosalie tried to take in their surroundings through the haze of disbelief shrouding them. The short hallway led them straight into a living room decorated in a mix of warm creams and varying shades of blue and brown. The familiarity of it was startling. Two, three-person sofas faced each other with a coffee table in the middle, a forgotten newspaper and a half-empty mug sitting there patiently. A flat-screen TV hung on the wall above the fireplace. The windows were framed by blue and cream striped curtains that brushed the floor, the ceiling above painted a matching shade of sky-blue.

"Do you remember how your mum always said she wanted to be able to see the sky, even when it was cloudy?" Charlie questioned in the softest, calmest tone he could manage. Seeing Scarlett in this room was all he'd wanted for so long, but his head and heart didn't know how to take it now that it was actually happening. The added thought of his late wife sent sparks of longing through his veins. She was always good with tricky situations. Penelope would've known how to make this all okay. She set people at ease without thinking about it.

"I remember," Scarlett sputtered. She lifted a hand to her mouth as images of her mother dancing her toddler-self around the room filled her mind, dark brown eyes twinkling in that way Charlie had fallen in love with. At once she felt the urgent need to see her mum's favorite room, the room she adored and inhabited the most. Turning swiftly on her heels, Scarlett tugged Rosalie along with her into the hallway, then took a sharp left and gasped. Tears overflowed in torrents, drenching her skin and darkening the gray t-shirt she wore beneath her hoodie.

Before she'd died, Penelope had turned this house into a home. She'd loved the summer, and had spent a weekend with Tina painting every cupboard in the kitchen a sunny yellow to match the bright flowers she insisted went on the island in the center of the room as well as the dining table, which stood opposite French doors that opened out onto the garden patio. The dark brown-black surfaces reflected the light brilliantly, the creamy-brown tiled floor adding a farmhouse feel to the large space. Six, dark brown leather chairs surrounded the oak dining table Edward had built from scratch, a fresh pot of yellow zinnias filling the room with their fresh scent. Flashes of a blonde-haired woman flitting to and fro in her signature pink apron, a four-year-old on her hip and a twelve-year-old trailing behind danced in front of Scarlett's eyes.

But that was before…

"Do you want to see your room? I left it the same…we both did."

The girls blew twin sighs of relief.

"Please, Dad." Scarlett released Rosalie's hand, moving to take Charlie's. They moved back through the hallway, making their way up the stairs with their hands still joined. The first door on the left at the top of the landing was different, decorated with trains and cars instead of band posters and football trophies. Carl-Roman's and Chase's room, Scarlett surmised.

A sharp gasp left Scarlett's lips when she and Charlie reached the door at the end of the landing. Scarlett's name was still spelled out in glittery pink letters on the white wood, a piece of cardboard hanging from the handle that read 'This Princess Is Busy – Do Not Disturb.' Charlie's body was rigid as he nudged the door open with the toe of his shoe. It swung in slow-motion to reveal an eight-year-old girl's paradise.

The room bore bright pink walls, matching carpet, and a white, imitation crystal chandelier that any princess would be jealous of – if it were real, of course. The headboard of a white bed was tucked into a small alcove, a multi-colored canopy pinned back with lacy pink ties. Scarlett stepped into her childhood bedroom and slid her trainers off, marveling at the softness of the abstract, floral rug between her toes through her thin socks. Letting Charlie's hand fall back to his side, she trailed her fingertips over the smooth, curved footboard of her bed, her tear-blurred vision taking in the throw that matched the canopy folded neatly across the pale pink quilt, a single, flower-shaped cushion resting against the blue pillows at the opposite end.

Her eyes caught some photographs on the tall cabinet near the window, and as she leaned closer, her lips involuntarily twitched upwards. The grinning faces of her nearest and dearest sent her stomach flip-flopping. A teddy bear she vaguely recalled being given after having her tonsils removed at aged six sat untouched in the same place she'd put it; on the desk in front of one window, while a pale green armchair sat in front of the other.

Scarlett's feet carried her unthinkingly to the chair where she slowly sat. Tucking her legs up against her chest, Scarlett whispered, "I can't even…it's just… _thank you_."

No words could describe how grateful she felt for this simple refusal to give up, because in her eyes that was exactly what this was – the first tangible bit of proof that even when she and Rosalie had lost hope of being rescued, their ever-loyal dads hadn't.

 **~ oOo ~**

 _An Undisclosed Location, UK_

A pair of grey-blue eyes stared out at the sheep meandering by the window, the sting of tiredness prickling even as the tall man leaning against the wall fought sleep. He sighed, reaching up to ruffle his hair before falling into the chair at his back.

Boredom was torture. Not knowing was torture.

He'd been in this house for two weeks, but it already felt like centuries. Wind rattled the windows, the first drops of rain spitting at the glass. It was always raining, never sunny. He'd thought it was a myth, that England was perpetually rainy.

He was fast learning that it was no myth.

The clock in the corner ticked loudly, but the hands didn't move. Within his first few days here, he'd tried to fix it, but the old thing was beyond fixing, and he'd given up when he couldn't even get it to stop ticking.

Beneath his socked feet, the floorboards were cold and hard and bore the marks of booted feet whose soles had trodden upon the miles of muddy earth surrounding the cottage. From all directions, all he could see was green or brown, and the gray of the sky. It had been nice at first, the peace and quiet, the tranquility after the weeks of upheaval and revelations. The novelty had quickly worn off, leaving maddening boredom and restlessness in its place. There was only so much more of it that he could take before it was too much.

He'd snap. And he wasn't sure he'd like it if that happened.

The sound of a car roaring towards the house had his head whipping around, dark blond hair flying with the movement. He was long overdue a haircut, not that it was high on the priority list at that moment in time, but it meant he was sporting quite the mane.

The door opened a handful of seconds after the engine cut out, and by the time the agent stepped through, he was standing.

"Morning, Emmett. So, I have some news for you. The girls are home."

 **~ oOo ~**

 _Back in Eastbourne_

"Come on, champ, just eat this little bit."

Archie's eyes flew to the hands on his watch for the ninth time in six minutes. It read nine-fifty-eight. A mere minute later than it had at last check.

"No, Daddy! I don't want jammy toast, I want choc'late hoops." Young Carl-Roman crossed his arms over his chest, arranging his features into an adorable pout capable of melting the hardest of hearts, the blue-green eyes he inherited from his grandfather narrowed in determination. Apart from his curly black hair, a few shades darker than Archie's chocolate brown, and his lighter eyes, the little boy was the spitting image of his dad when he was that age. Argumentative streak very much included.

His baby brother, Chase, on the other hand, he had Archie's curly dark brown hair, but his mother's grey-blue eyes. In the highchair beside Carl-Roman, he wore a big grin ringed with porridge, one fist in his mouth while the other mashed banana on the tray. Almost six-months old, he was well into baby-led weaning, and loving it. Although, he was more loving the mess than the actual food, much to Archie's alternating amusement and frustration.

Archie huffed out a breath, eyeing his eldest son with a raised eyebrow. "If I give you the hoops for breakfast today you have to have toast tomorrow, deal?"

Although he was well aware Kristen would have his guts for garters if she found out he'd been bargaining with their six-year-old over breakfast, he couldn't help but be distracted by the time as it crawled by torturously slow. In his childhood home just fifteen minutes away, his sisters were walking in the same rooms in which he'd only been able to imagine them for years. All he could think about was the fact that he could hop in his car and be there with them within a handful of minutes, that he'd be able to see them with his own eyes, hug them with his own arms. He just had to wait for the call from his dad giving him the okay to do so.

"Deal, Daddy!"

Archie refocused on Carl-Roman, removing the now, cold slice of toast before replacing it with a cartoon bowl of chocolate hoops. The clock read ten 'o clock exactly when the bowl touched the wooden table, the shrill ring of the phone on the kitchen counter coinciding with it perfectly.

"You gotta get that, Daddy!" Carl-Roman chirped through a mouthful of cereal.

Archie swallowed thickly. "I know, champ." The phone felt hot in his hand when he finally grabbed it, lifting it to his ear and pressing the button flashing green. "Hey, Dad."

"S'that my Pawpaw? Can I talk to him, Daddy?"

Archie gestured for his bouncing son to wait, the lump in his throat too thick to speak through.

" _You can—"_ Charlie choked on his words, his tears obvious even through the phone. " _You can come over as soon as you're ready, son._ " Archie let out a long, gusty breath, more than ready to see his two best friends again. " _They're home, Arch. They're home_."


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**~ oOo ~**

 **Okay, so I'm a total fail and I'm soo sorry this  
chapter has been so delayed. FF seemed to be  
having issues, then I messed up by saving the  
chapter to my drafts instead of emailing it off  
to be beta'd. Anyways, this one is going up now,  
and I'll be sending off 17 asap so it should be ready  
for Sunday/Monday as usual.**

 **I'm loving all of your theories, thoughts, and how much  
you're loving on these characters! Please keep 'em  
coming :)**

 **Thank you to my dream team,  
SunflowerFran **and **annaharding  
for catching all my silly mistakes and making  
Pinky Promises pretty!**

 **I did tweak this a little after they worked their  
magic, so all mistakes are mine.**

 **Emmett's outtake is on its way, but he's proving  
to be a quiet dude so I'm still working on him.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

It had been years of heartache, longing, and anger for Archie, waiting for the tiniest bit of news regarding the whereabouts of Scarlett and Rosalie, yet sitting in his car idling outside his childhood home, he found himself frozen to the seat. Clammy hands white-knuckled the steering wheel, his foot trembling on the pedal. Despite the overwhelming need to have his sisters in his arms again, there was a part of him preparing for imminent, crushing disappointment.

In the past month he'd been keeping in close contact with Edward, Charlie, and Peter, so he knew in his logical mind that Scarlett, Rosalie…, and Marley, the niece he couldn't picture or make sense of just yet, were less than fifty feet away. He knew it wasn't a trick. However, knowing that didn't dispel the years upon years of debilitating blows, of rushing to the police station in the middle of the night only to discover it was a false lead. A false sighting, a cold trail, a kid playing a cruel prank.

It couldn't erase the memory of being told the case had gone cold.

Carl-Roman kicked the back of his seat. "Daddy, why're we in the car? Can we go inside now? _Puh-_ lease?"

Archie looked at his son in the rear-view mirror, his heart beating a frantic tattoo against his rib cage.

"Uh," he paused to clear his throat. "I've gotta tell you something first, champ."

"What?"

"You know your Auntie Scarlett and Auntie Rosalie?"

At the mention of the aunts he knew of but had never met, Carl-Roman cocked his head to one side, curious. He nodded.

Archie swallowed hard, the words he was about to say both easy and difficult to push past his lips. "They're in Pawpaw's house."

Carl-Roman's eyes grew impossibly wide, and his mouth fell open in a comical 'O.' "Are they here to see me?"

"Something like that, champ," was Archie's watery, chuckled reply. "You know when Mummy got sick, and she was a bit fragile? A bit smaller than normal?"

"Yep! I had to be real gentle 'cause she hurted when I jumped on her. Are my aunties sick also, Daddy?"

Thankful for his son's intelligence, Archie explained that he had to be gentle with them until they were stronger. With his dad's tearful description of the girls' conditions fresh in his mind, Archie tried not to think about it too hard, and moved on to the next subject he needed to cover.

"All right, and there's one more thing…So you know how Ben's auntie had a baby last year, little Robert?"

Carl-Roman nodded. "Uh-huh. He's Ben's cubbin."

Archie tried not to laugh, knowing it would annoy Carl-Roman, and corrected him gently. " _Cousin_ , champ, Robert is Ben's cousin. Well, Auntie Scarlett had—" He had to cough again, struggling to get out the words. Struggling to come to terms with the fact that his baby sister, "had a baby. Auntie Scarlett had a baby, champ. You have a cousin."

Carl-Roman grinned with glee, looking towards the house, then back at Archie. "I have a baby cousin, too? That's cool, Daddy! Can I hold him?"

"Her, champ. Your cousin is a girl. And she's not a baby, either. She's five."

Counting on his fingers, Carl-Roman frowned. "So she's a year younger than me? 'Cause I'm six, and she's five."

"That's right, champ. Good math, son. Her name is Marley, and she's five, so yes, she's a year younger than you, but she's older than Chase."

"Okay, I guess that's all right. I can share my toys, if she wants, I don't mind."

Smothering chuckles and swallowing back tears, Archie grinned and reached around to ruffle his son's hair, never more proud of him than in that moment. "I'm sure she'll really appreciate that, son, thank you."

Finally, after ten minutes of sitting on the driveway, Archie stepped onto the pavement, letting his eager son out before removing Chase from the car, still in his carrier, and following Carl-Roman up the path to the front door. A mixture of terrified and excited, he used his key to enter.

The sound of his dad's voice from the kitchen told him where he needed to go. In spite of the fact that he'd walked this small hallway thousands of times, Archie couldn't help but feel the wariness of his feet, the photograph hanging on the wall making his eyes prickly with heat as he passed it. It was taken the same day as the one the police used during the search.

Rosalie, Scarlett, Archie, Heidi, and Pippa were all there, lying fast asleep on a picnic blanket. They'd worn themselves out in Hampden Park and tumbled onto the ground upon their return where Peter managed to capture the sweet scene on his camera.

"Hi, I'm Carl-Roman Swan. You're my Auntie Scarlett, and you're Auntie Rosalie, right?"

Archie stepped into the kitchen just as Carl-Roman barreled up to two figures, much smaller than he'd envisioned but so very recognizable with their strawberry-blonde curls and red-blonde waves.

Dark eyes remained fixed on Carl-Roman and the aunts he was just then meeting as he rocked on his heels, grinning up at Scarlett and Rosalie.

Scarlett nodded shakily, unable to take her eyes away from him, unable to believe he was her nephew but loving him on sight.

"Good. Oh, this is my baby brother, Chase. He's really little, so he doesn't talk or dance or play football like me. Daddy, how old is he again?"

Archie shook his head at his little whirlwind, but before he could answer, Carl-Roman was running his mouth once more.

"Oh! D'you wanna see my new trains? They're _so_ cool! D'you like trains, Auntie Rosalie?"

All eyes were on the trio around the dining table, even more so when both girls found themselves incapable of speaking. Tears poured over their cheeks, splashing the stone tiles underfoot.

Carl-Roman's grin drooped. "Why're you sad? Pawpaw," Charlie scooped his worried grandson into his arms, trying so very hard not to give into his own tears, "why are Auntie Scarlett and Auntie Rosalie sad?"

"They're not sad, champ. They're just so, _so_ happy that they don't have room for it all. The happy is leaking, that's all. That's why they're crying. They're happy tears."

The looks the girls gave him were of gratefulness, joy, and overwhelmed disbelief, which was all the confirmation he needed that he'd hit the nail on the head.

Meanwhile, Carl-Roman's expression evened out into his usual grin. "Oh. Okay, Pawpaw, I got this."

With his trainer-clad feet back on the floor, he stood between his aunts, eyeing Scarlett, then Rosalie. "You gotta be happy _all the time_ now, 'cause you're home with us. Daddy said you went away for a while, but now you're home so I can show you my trains! They're super cool; I swear you'll like 'em." Eyeing the girls skeptically, he sighed. "I _might_ even let you play with my Thomas train. He's special, but I think you'll be okay if you don't take him outside. Right, Daddy?"

Archie nodded, but it was Peter that spoke.

"Hey, Carl-Roman, you want to show me first, and we'll get them all set up for your aunties?"

Carl-Roman cast a longing look at Scarlett and Rosalie but was placated when Peter reiterated that they'd be right back once they'd set the tracks up and got the trains ready. Archie sighed long and low, realizing he was just trying to give him time with his sisters, shooting Peter a grateful smile as he led Carl-Roman from the room. Peter had seen the trains hundreds of times, but he always managed to muster the same amount of excitement for them as he had the first time Carl-Roman brought them over. It was from him that Carl-Roman had learned his love of trains, in the first place.

As soon as he didn't have to hold himself together for his son's sake, Archie crumbled. "Oh _God_ …"

His eyes took in the slim figures of his sisters. They weren't the girls he remembered. They were only a little older than he'd been when they went missing. Of the five children Charlie and Peter had between them, Archie was the only one with really vivid memories of their mothers, and it was with those he recognized Scarlett and Rosalie.

Twelve years later, and neither girl looked anywhere close to the same as they had back then. They were different people.

After numerous discussions with his dad, uncle, and friend during the past weeks, Archie had been informed about Scarlett's panic attacks, nightmares, fear of touch, and second pregnancy. He knew that for the time being, very few could get close to her. Charlie had explained they were malnourished, and haunted by a man on the run.

He'd never have expected to feel so lost as he gazed at them, a breeze blowing through the open French doors, allowing the smell of freshly cut grass to fill the air. The urge to pull them both into his arms and never let go was so strong that he had to clench his free hand into a fist at his side, tightening the other around the handle of baby Chase's car seat. He rooted his feet to the tiles, dark eyes swimming with tears of apprehension, and the pain of the two previously vibrant, energetic, _healthy_ girls standing before him as shadows of their former selves.

Abruptly, Rosalie stood. In just seconds, with a sob, she hit Archie's chest. He set Chase's carrier down, his strong arms engulfing her tiny, five-foot-five frame, his forehead resting on her crown as she shook with the tears that wracked her body. He'd spent enough years wishing for his sisters' return that he didn't care there were people around him watching the tears pour from his eyes into Rosalie's hair, tied back in a scruffy bun.

"I've missed you, squirt," he rasped.

"I've missed you too, Arch," came her whimpered reply, her voice muffled against his t-shirt.

Over Rosalie, Archie watched his dad give into his own emotions, casting a look of hope and heartbreak at Scarlett. She stayed curled tight in a ball on the chair at the dining table, legs pulled to her chest, eyes wide and pointed right at the sight of her brother and sister just feet away. The desperation to join them was written all over her face. It was palpable, a scar worse than the physical ones she bore purely because it was mental and couldn't be fixed with a plaster, with stitches, or with medicine. This scar ran deep, her fear so powerful she couldn't make her muscles move even to hug her brother – even after twelve years of wishing for this moment.

Archie's heart thundered as he tucked Rosalie under his arm, smiling through his tears as he raised a hand to wipe moisture from her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry, Rose, you're home now."

Rosalie sniffled as a smile crept onto her face. "I can't even… _God_ , it's so good to see you again, big brother."

Simultaneously, their eyes moved to Scarlett. His stomach rolled at the gut-wrenching look on her face. Glistening beads telling of her sadness leaked from tumultuous, sea-green eyes before tumbling over pallid cheeks to splash her shirt. Everybody could see the tremble of her hands resting atop her knees.

Without thinking, Archie stepped forwards. That one stride took him two feet closer. His sister's body shook with an involuntary shudder, eyes containing a tempest as she forced herself not to cry out. Rosalie slid herself from beneath Archie's arm, watching along with Charlie with rapt attention as he approached Scarlett as one might approach a wild, scared animal. His wariness was all for naught though, because a moment later she slumped, falling sideways into the waiting arms of her brother.

"Is she okay? What happened?" Rosalie cried frantically as Archie cradled her, placing Scarlett on the small sofa beside the doors.

In a shaky voice, he muttered, "She fainted. It's okay, she's okay."

"It's all a bit too much, that's all," Charlie told Rosalie gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and tugging her into his side to wait out Scarlett.

 **~ oOo ~**

Deep brown eyes were the first thing Scarlett thought of when she slowly began to come back to herself. Deep, dark, chocolate brown eyes.

Struggling to wade through waves of confusion, she fought to regain her senses. It felt as though she were underwater, the surface eluding her on purpose. There were a few reasons she knew that she couldn't have been underwater.

The first was that she could hear the breeze. Soft voices were the second clue – muffled, but only slightly. The third was because she had a vivid recollection of seeing Archie. He'd never let her go under the water. Never.

It was with that thought her eyes opened gingerly. The bright light was startling at first, so she blinked a few times to adjust. Taking in her surroundings for a moment, Scarlett first spotted Rosalie's nervous expression from across the room. Charlie offered her a reassuring smile from his place at her side. Her eyes shifted then, finding the young man perched on the end of the sofa.

He grinned sheepishly, fresh tears springing free. "How're you feeling?"

"Like crap," she murmured, the emotions from before her faint returning full-force.

It was Archie…her friend, playmate, big brother. Gazing at him, she could see the scrawny boy with perpetually skinned knees, the lean teenager with girls hanging from his every word, and the man he'd grown into without her. Chocolate brown eyes he shared with their mother were the only thing the same. His hair was longer, flopping over his forehead instead of standing upright in carefully arranged spikes. What had been lightly tanned skin was much darker, a result of having a six-year-old with a love of the outdoors. Where he was once too lean and too tall for his frame, Archie was now over six feet tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, the long-sleeved white t-shirt he wore straining around his biceps. As he smiled carefully, Scarlett realized even his smile had changed.

"You've changed," Scarlett pointed out needlessly. Just for something to say.

Archie's quiet, sad chuckle was only for her ears. "So have you."

She winced.

"I can't believe how grown up you are, squirt. Christ, you were a baby…"

Memories flashed before his eyes. Memories of a smaller, much healthier Scarlett. Rosalie, too. The day they were born was still so clear in his mind. It was an insane day. They'd driven home from the hospital together, their mothers walking up the paths side-by-side with their daughter swaddled in matching blankets and caps, cooing over their newborns despite the tiredness setting in. Charlie, Peter, and Archie had trailed behind, smiles tired but miles wide.

Nine-year-old Archie had been beaming with pride at being able to carry the baby bags, one over each shoulder. He couldn't stop himself from making a list of all the cool things he'd be able to teach his new sisters.

The feel of soft fingertips on his cheek yanked him from his thoughts. His eyes widened when he realized they were Scarlett's.

"I hate seeing you cry, Arch. Please don't—" She broke off, eyes trained on Archie's as he reached for her. A long, shaky exhale tickled her lips on its way out as calloused fingers pressed feather-soft against the back of her hand, still resting on his cheek.

"I won't hurt you, Scarlett…ever."

Years of pain, desolation, and as-yet, unsaid admissions swirled between brother and sister, their bond strong against the onslaught of emotions that slammed into them like a wrecking ball as Archie's arm wrapped slowly around Scarlett's shoulders. He left it deliberately loose so she could move away if she wanted to. Everyone watching breathed sighs of relief as she bit hard on her lip and raised her arms reverently to rest them around his neck.

The pair relaxed into each other, curling together and releasing twelve years of pent up emotion in tears, sobs, and declarations of love.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Daddy?" Carl-Roman wandered into the room, stopping in front of his dad.

"Yes, Carl-Roman?"

Carl-Roman frowned, setting his train down for a moment, to stare at his dad. "Where's my cousin?"

Scarlett gasped from her spot between Archie and Charlie on the sofa, her hand flying up to her mouth.

Archie sighed, leaning forward. "She's next door, at Uncle Pete's house, with Uncle Edward."

"Uncle Edward's here? Can I go see him?"

It made Archie grin, to see and hear his son's excitement to see his best friend. He loved how Carl-Roman and Edward had bonded, despite his friend's often demanding work schedule. "I think he's going to come over here."

Charlie nodded when Archie looked to him in question, then met Scarlett's teary eyes. "You ready? I can shoot him a text now if you are. No rush, though, all right?"

"No," Scarlett breathed, "it's okay. Text him."

It had been decided that Edward would take Marley to Peter's house until the reunions had taken place between Archie and the girls. Nobody wanted to upset her, and they'd known emotions would be running high, so it just made sense for her to be kept out of the way just for a little while. In the twenty minutes since Scarlett woke after her faint, the group had relocated to the living room where Carl-Roman had delighted in showing Scarlett and Rosalie his train sets – including the lilac train emblazoned with Rosalie, and the pink bearing Scarlett's name.

He'd made Scarlett cry by announcing that he needed another one called Marley, and that's when he'd realized his cousin hadn't yet arrived.

 **~ oOo ~**

 _Come on over, we're all good. Chuck._

Edward read the text from Charlie with a grin on his face. He'd been nervous, petrified actually, until Charlie had sent him a photo of the Swan siblings embracing on the kitchen sofa. Sure, there were plenty of tears, but that was expected. It made Edward happier than he knew how to express, to see Archie and Scarlett again back together.

"Mommy?" Marley asked in her sweet, almost-American accent, pointing at his phone with a hopeful half-smile.

Edward chuckled, scooping her up and swinging her around Peter's living room. "Yeah, little sweet, let's go see Mommy." It tickled him that she'd picked up a slight American twang like Scarlett and Rosalie had. He was often teased when he returned to Italy after his summers in England, having taken on English-isms as his friends called them. Just the way he'd enunciate or say a word differently made them laugh.

"C'mon, let's go then." Edward took Marley's hand, leading her out of Peter's house, and across the lawn into Charlie's. He heard voices in the living room and ushered Marley in with a gentle hand at the back of her head. She paused and stepped back into his legs as soon as she saw the unfamiliar faces of her uncle and cousins.

"It's okay, baby girl, come here," Scarlett beckoned her forward with outstretched arms, and Marley was happy enough to go to her. Archie had moved, sitting on the floor on the other side of the coffee table from Scarlett so Marley would have space. It was clear to all present though that he desperately wanted to hold her, see her up close, despite his unease with the reality of his baby sister having a baby. And that she was having _another_ baby…

"This is your Uncle Archie; remember I told you about him? And he has two babies like I have you."

"I'm Carl-Roman, and I'm six. You're five, aren't you?" Carl-Roman piped up from his spot on the floor, eager to go closer just like Archie was, but doing as he'd been asked and staying put for now.

Marley eyed him curiously, and only then did Scarlett realize something sad.

"She's never seen another child before," she whispered, looking at the shocked faces around the room. All except Rosalie's. "She's never met another child her age."

"Doesn't she go to school?" Carl-Roman asked. "Daddy says I gotta go, or he'll get put in time out."

Archie laughed, ruffling his son's hair and catching Chase before he toppled sideways. He was getting good at sitting up unaided, but occasionally he lost his balance. "Marley didn't have to go to school where she was before, but she's a bit younger than you, champ."

"Huh. All right. D'you wanna play trains, Marley?"

Scarlett caressed her daughter's head as she squirmed, obviously uncomfortable. "Baby girl, do you want to play with the trains with Carl-Roman?"

Unsure, Marley looked over at the toys, clearly wanting to but too nervous of Archie and Carl-Roman to go alone.

Edward moved then, plonking himself down on the floor beside Carl-Roman and scooping him onto his lap to tickle him. The little boy's shrieks brought smiles to everyone's faces, including Marley's. "All right champ, let's see how these work then, huh?"

"All right, _all right_ , stop _tickling me_ , Uncle Edley! I can't breathe, dammit!"

Nobody chose to reprimand the boy for his 'dammit,' letting it go just this once, no one wanting to ruin the high of this moment.

Thoroughly distracted by Edward and his trains once more, Carl-Roman gave Marley the chance to just watch the unfamiliar family dynamic around the room, her wide eyes taking everything in with the wonder of a child experiencing family life for the first time. She took in the way Rosalie and Peter spoke quietly, anxiously waiting for the twins to be back from their grandparents. She watched as Archie and Edward fell into the same easy rapport they'd shared since their first meeting some twenty years before. Marley smiled at the way Charlie and Scarlett interacted, including her with smiles and gentle tugs on the end of her braid.

But, out of everybody in the room, it was baby Chase that had her attention the most. As he wobbled and teetered beside Archie, grabbing for the teething toys spread around his chubby little legs, she couldn't help but gaze at him, confused but oh so curious of this strange little creature, the likes of which she'd never seen.

Checking that her mother was distracted, she slid from her lap and edged closer to Chase, peering at the adults around the room as she made it to within a few inches of him. He noticed her then, smiling a big, gummy, two-toothy grin and babbling some nonsensical sounds as he reached for her. Chase would've face-planted the carpet if she hadn't quickly leant forwards, eyes like saucers as she managed to turn him onto his back in the air. His curl-covered head barely bumped the carpet, but the shock startled him, and he let out a single, sharp cry before getting distracted by Marley's braid swinging over him as she hovered, nervous she'd be told off but worried about the squirming baby.

"Oh, what're you doing, bud?" Archie reached for Chase, twisting him back up to sit on his bottom. Once again, his gummy grin returned as he stared at Marley, contentedly playing with her hair when she leaned close enough for his chubby arms to reach. "He likes you," Archie murmured, grinning at the sight of his niece and son bonding for the first time.

Marley's smile grew slowly, her nerves at Archie's proximity overshadowed by her curiosity about Chase. Growing in confidence, she reached out a hand to stroke his cheek, snatching her hand back when he turned and began gumming on her fingers.

"He's just teething, that's all. His baby teeth are coming, so he likes to chew on things like a dog does."

It took a few seconds for Archie to blanch, looking to Scarlett when he registered Marley's confused expression and head-tilt. "She knows what a dog is, right?"

Scarlett shook her head sadly. "I don't think so, no. She's seen cats because there were two…um, she's seen cats, but not dogs."

"Jesus…" Archie breathed, shaking his head and gripping his jeans tightly to stop himself from lashing out.

"Marley, c'mere, little sweet," Edward called, crouching in the living room doorway with his arms outstretched. Always happy to go to Edward, Marley darted around the sofas and clung to him, smiling as he stood with her in his arms. "This, is a dog." He picked up his phone from the cabinet it had been resting on, and the whole room heard the panting, then barking, of the dog in the video he showed her.

"Oh, would you look at that," Peter sighed, his grin wide and wistful as he squeezed Rosalie gently around the shoulders.

Marley's face was split in two by her ear-to-ear smile, the sparkle in her eyes undeniable. She bounced a little in Edward's arms, patting his cheek in excitement before snatching the phone with both hands to put it even closer to her face, eyes a hair's width from the screen.

"Careful, you'll get square eyes," he warned gently, a chuckle in his voice. It only occurred to him once he'd said it that such a phrase would be totally foreign to her. Not that Marley was listening. She was utterly entranced in the video in front of her. He moved to take a seat on the pouf, settling her on his lap to continue watching the Golden Retrievers on the screen.

 **~ oOo ~**

Morning segued into afternoon, and the girls slipped away for some quiet time, and to allow Marley a nap. She'd warmed up slowly to Carl-Roman, and they'd had to drag her weary body away from where they were laying side-by-side on the carpet amidst his train collection.

Not ready to reacquaint themselves with the floral, very girly room within which they spent many a night being typical little girls some years ago, Scarlett and Rosalie took an hour to calm their racing hearts, mind, and emotions in Charlie's room. Five minutes after curling up on the bed with Marley and Mr. Eddie between them, Scarlett came to a sudden realization.

The room was unchanged.

The silvery-gray, geometric wallpaper, the dark wood floor covered mostly by a lilac rug, the vase of artificial white lilies on the mantle over the decorative fireplace, and the bedspread with a purple throw over one end…it was all exactly the same. Exactly how they'd left it.

Exactly how Penelope left it.

Sixteen years after her death and the master bedroom was exactly the same as it had been since Charlie and Penelope decorated it in the July of eighty-six, a month after Archie was born. Somehow, the thought of her dad hanging on to not just her long-gone mum but also to her, obvious in the way her bedroom hadn't been touched in twelve years, brought hot tears to Scarlett's eyes.

She didn't know it, but Rosalie was silently crying for the same things. Having briefly visited her own house earlier, she knew it was in much the same state as Charlie's – stuck in a time warp.

When Scarlett and Rosalie felt ready to leave Charlie's room, the latter clasped their hands together in a show of silent support they both needed. Marley scrambled from beneath the covers, Mr. Eddie tucked under one arm and walked behind them with a tiny fist clenched around the fabric of her mum's left trouser leg.

Emerging into the kitchen, the trio spotted Charlie first, then Peter, Archie, Edward, and Carl-Roman moments later. The little boy was leaning, cross-armed over the table, his height aided by a bright red booster seat, scribbling frantically on a piece of paper. Rosalie's lips tipped upwards when she spotted his tongue poking out at the side of his mouth. Archie saw where her eyes had gone and chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I used to do the same thing."

Confused for a moment, Charlie and Peter looked between Rosalie and Archie. Then, it dawned.

"Oh!" Charlie laughed, grinning with more than a hint of teasing in his expression. "Your buddies used to tease you mercilessly over that. Do you remember?"

"Yes," Archie groaned theatrically, far too happy to be annoyed at their good-natured ribbing. Nothing could sour his mood. "You used to drive me mad, making fun of me."

Edward plastered an innocent expression on his face when he saw where Archie's pointed glare was aimed – right at him. "Hey, now! I never!"

Scarlett laughed, a peal so bright and sunny it lit the room for a moment. Everyone stopped in their tracks, all eyes swiveling towards her as she tipped her head back, reminiscing. "You _so_ did, Edward! I think you even used to get us to help you wind him up about it!" With her eyes closed to better remember, she didn't notice everybody looking at her until she shook the memories away, flushing under their scrutiny.

Edward's grin was so, so wide as he chuckled, opening his arms to Marley when she peered around Scarlett's leg to see why he was laughing. She darted across the room, clambering into his lap and settling back against his chest. Carl-Roman continued coloring, but silently pushed some paper and a tub of pens and pencils in her direction. She was curious, but didn't reach out to investigate right away.

"Oh, check you out! Ratting on me," Edward shook his head in mock reproach. "You _do_ remember the penalty for that, right?"

It took a few seconds, but Edward saw when it hit her. Rosalie was a second behind, and she shrunk back, covering her smile with a hand as Scarlett began shaking her head slowly.

"No…Edward, you wouldn't…"

Charlie and Peter laughed loudly, Carl-Roman joining in despite not knowing what they were laughing at, while Archie just sat back in his chair, arms across his chest, enormous grin firmly in place as he watched Edward shift Marley to sit on the chair he was vacating. He crept across the room slowly, feet making little sound on the tiles. Scarlett slunk slowly backward, hitting the wall with her hands splayed against the cream paintwork with an ever so slight tremor.

Alarm bells began to ring in her head. Loud and intrusive, they screamed that she should run. A man advancing on her in such a manner as Edward currently was could never be a good thing…except it was. He was teasing. Scarlett remembered perfectly the punishment for ratting.

Tickling.

"Edward…" she warned quietly, pleased when the word was tinged with only a little fear.

He grinned, but it was tempered by an odd look. Like he was trying to put her at ease, even as he stalked towards her. Scarlett felt her lips twitching towards a smile, her body remembering the torture of tickling despite having not felt it for over twelve years. She'd always been incredibly ticklish, ever since she was a baby. Charlie had once greatly enjoyed dressing her, making sure to tickle her chubby baby belly and tiny feet. Her mind strayed back in time, to the years when tickling was a daily occurrence, and she'd enjoyed touch. Her thoughts lingered on the laughter it had wrung from her body, and the way she'd antagonize her daddy over the back of the sofa so that he'd chase her to tickle her sides until she was breathless.

Memories of not-so-funny touches edged closer, but Scarlett fought them back, her overwhelmed mind unable to cope with more than she was already dealing with.

Lost in thought, Scarlett was startled back to the present by Edward's fingers reaching her. He pressed lightly at the one spot he knew she couldn't handle – the spot just below her bottom-right rib. She crumpled like an accordion, unable to stop herself laughing as she knelt, ducking away from Edward's hand as it came at her again and again until they were both panting, cheek-splitting smiles adorning their faces as he extended a hand and they agreed on a truce.

As she watched on, having taken the seat beside Marley who was now leaning across the table, coloring with Carl-Roman for the first time, Rosalie dashed tears from her cheeks.

Scarlett was laughing. _Laughing._ Edward had touched her, albeit, fleetingly and in a manner Scarlett knew was teasing. But still, she'd allowed him close enough to touch her, and was laughing about it.

Before they'd boarded the plane back in New York, Megan had made Rosalie promise to keep her updated once they were back home. She had no doubt that this was exactly the type of thing she'd want to know about; exactly the kind of thing she'd smile and congratulate them for.

Progress.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**~ oOo ~**

 **Sorry for the late update, guys! Real life got in the  
** **way a little bit, and a few technical issues had their  
** **way with my computer so I was late sending  
** **the chapter off to my dream team,  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **.**

 **Big love to both of them for working their magic  
on my rough-and-ready writing! They do an  
amazing job, although I know I make it difficult  
at times!**

 **So it seems we're all firmly in Edward's corner,  
and loving seeing him love on Marley and Scarlett.  
**

 **Again, sorry for the delay, I'm aiming to be back  
on schedule for next week. If I manage to get 18  
knocked out before then, I'll post it :)**

 **Thank you!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Careful to close the French doors quietly, Edward's trainer-clad feet made little to no sound as he sighed, running a hand through his hair before stepping into the kitchen and making for the living room. His brow furrowed, however, when the sound of harsh panting broke through the quiet. Jade green eyes swung round in search of the source, feet carrying him another two steps into the room before his gaze fell on her. Though she was curled into a ball on the floor against a cupboard, it was clear the young woman with Charlie's blond curls, and Penelope's petite frame was Scarlett. Why she was up, though, bewildered him.

Her body trembled with the force of her breathing, warbled sobs marring the otherwise peaceful night. Without thinking, Edward moved closer and fell to his knees beside Scarlett. "Hey, hey, steady," he breathed, resting his hand gently on her shoulder. The shudder that rippled through Scarlett would have been obvious even if he hadn't felt it.

"Ed-Edward? What are you doing down here?"

Edward winced, hearing the pain lacing her stuttered words loud and clear. "I went out for a smoke, I didn't want to wake anyone going out the front door, sometimes it squeaks."

"I remember." Though timid and softly spoken, Scarlett's words were resolute. She remembered the squeaky door. Edward wasn't sure why but he felt his lips tug upwards in response. The only thing stopping them from turning into a full-blown smile was the fact that she was still shaking violently on the kitchen floor.

"Can I get you anything? What happened?" A shake of her head was all the answer Edward received. He rocked back on his heels, hating that he didn't know what to do, how to help. Musically talented? Sure, he could admit that, but schooled in dealing with tears? Not so much.

"I c-can't stop sh-shaking," Scarlett suddenly moaned. Her hands slid up into tangled blonde curl, tugging hard as she rested her forehead on her bent knees.

Edward hesitated before asking, "Are you cold? Can I get you a blanket, jumper…?" Another headshake. No. His eyes moved from the small sliver of her face he could see from this angle to the dark blue knitted wrap around her shoulders. It was thick, he could tell, and she was also sporting a pair of turquoise jogging bottoms drawn to her calves. On her tiny feet were a pair of navy ballet slippers and since it wasn't exactly cold outside, he couldn't figure out why Scarlett was shivering so fiercely.

Another tremor rippling through Scarlett's body rocked her into Edward's knees. He shoved away the questions bubbling on the tip of his tongue, reaching for her on instinct like he used to when she was little and would fall over. So torn apart by the lingering nightmare in her head, Scarlett didn't fight him at all as he turned, tucking her securely beneath his chin in his lap. She wound up pressed against his solid chest, covered only by a thin, light blue ribbed vest and an unzipped gray marl hoodie. Her legs rested over his lap, head over his heart. It thumped evenly beneath her ear. Soothing in its steady beat, she relaxed some of her tightly coiled muscles and tried to suck the warmth from his body into hers.

Smells, sounds, and sights assaulted Scarlett's senses slowly. Everywhere she looked Garrett Smith lurked. Rosalie slept soundly upstairs, Marley coiled beneath the covers with Mr. Eddie as usual.

Today, they received the news that in three days they'd have to go to the police station to begin giving their formal statements.

The FBI and police were working together on the case, both of them desperate to nail Garrett Smith for all of his nefarious crimes. It was the thought of reliving every day on the ranch that had Scarlett dreaming of tumbling from a great height, only, as she got closer, it exploded, and she found herself falling faster and faster towards the rising ball of flames Rosalie had described. She was terrified of what the agents, officers, her family, and Edward would think of the things they'd hear, petrified they'd hate her for making Rosalie stay, and for not leaving with Marley as soon as physically possible.

She was desperately trying to stop herself from thinking about when she'd have to explain how her current pregnancy came about.

Scarlett had woken from her nightmare just as the first lick of flames touched her skin and had stumbled down the stairs so Rosalie and Marley wouldn't be woken by the resulting panic attack.

The feel of Edward's hand tracing shapes on her back was soothing instead of frightening, calming her racing heart while smothering the fright that was attempting to claw her into its icy grip. A long, shuddering exhale left her.

"You feeling better?"

Beneath her ear, Scarlett felt the rumble of his voice, his Italian accent, more than she actually heard it. Hating being so close to him, to anybody, during a panic attack, but craving his warmth, Scarlett pushed through the walls she'd carefully constructed around herself in an effort to feel heat in her bones, even if only for a short time.

Not completely content, but more so than she had been in a long time, Scarlett hummed into the soft material of Edward's hoodie, the tears on her cheeks soaking into it along with the sound. He grinned down at her. Overwhelming relief filled him in response to the far more relaxed sound coming from Scarlett.

A few minutes later, he could tell she'd fallen back to sleep. Her breathing evened out, fists unclenched but rested loosely against his chest, and the frown that had been pulling her forehead taut had dissipated, leaving the exhausted face of a troubled girl free of pain. Scarlett, slumped over Edward's lap, had unconsciously sought the comfort he couldn't help but offer. The comfort she couldn't bring herself to ask for when she was awake.

Charlie appeared in the doorway just as Edward began to look around, wondering if he should move her to a more comfortable place to sleep.

"Edward? What's going on?"

"Nightmare, I think. I came down for a smoke, but she wasn't here then. She must've woken up and come down while I was outside. She seems okay now, calmer at least."

Charlie chuckled ruefully, his eyes sad as he gazed upon his daughter. It had been obvious from the moment Riley showed up that nobody would like the news he'd brought with him. Garrett Smith had not been sighted in days, and the girls needed to start giving their statements.

Smiles had been scarce, Scarlett and Rosalie spending much of the day quietly contemplative. Marley had been easily entertained with Archie's, Carl-Roman's, and Chase's arrival late in the morning, but even she had noticed something was going on, patting Edward on the cheek and pointing to her silent mother and auntie to ask what was wrong. Edward had placated her by saying that they were just tired, but it wouldn't fly for long. Marley may be virtually mute, but stupid she was not.

Resisting the strange urge to press a kiss to Scarlett's head, Edward carefully set her down on Charlie's bed a handful of minutes later, careful not to disturb Marley. He'd passed Rosalie on the stairs on the way up, and she'd warned him to mind the Marley-shaped lump beneath the covers. He brushed a lock of hair back from Scarlett's cheek, smiling when she leaned towards the contact with a soft sigh of her own.

In the kitchen, Charlie and Rosalie waited, cups of coffee clasped in their hands, noses inhaling the strong scent greedily.

"There's more over there," Charlie grunted, staring into his coffee. Black with three sugars. He'd always taken it the same way.

" _Grazie_ , Chuck."

He poured himself a cup, taking a seat at the table opposite Rosalie. She seemed lost in thought, though he'd have laughed if he could see into her mind.

 _Over thirty children squealed, screamed, and laughed as they ran amok on the new equipment at Tugwell Park. The warm July sun shone over Eastbourne like a watchful parent – just cool enough to be gentle, but not hot enough to be stifling. Scarlett and Rosalie were among the gaggle of children playing on the swings, their delighted squeals ringing out as Edward and Archie made their way over._

" _Arch! Edward! Push us, push us!" Rosalie cried, showing off the gap in the front of her mouth where her two top teeth had been just days before. At six-years-old, she was excited to have finally caught up with Scarlett, who'd already lost hers and started growing in the adult set a month before._

 _The two boys, then thirteen and fifteen, grinned at the girls' loud cheers as they pushed hard on their backs, sending them flying up in arcs towards the perfect blue sky._

" _Don't tell Dad, all right, squirts? He'll ground us again if he finds out we were pushing you this high."_

 _Edward laughed at the girls' vehement nods, fiddling with the cap in his hands between pushes._

" _So, when're you goin' back?"_

 _Edward cursed under his breath at Archie's question. "Twentieth of August. Ma wants me back for school and shit." His scowl turned into a smile again as Scarlett – his pushee – cheered that he was 'the best pusher_ ever _.'_

 _Archie snorted, stepping back with Edward to let the girls swing powered by their own legs. He smirked at his friend. "Yeah, drug pusher."_

 _As the teenage boys goofed around, shoving each other playfully, their fun came to an abrupt halt. Scarlett and Rosalie were winging themselves in towards each other, tangling their feet together as they crossed over then giggling when they released and sailed back down. Edward watched from the corner of his eye as Scarlett's swing caught and twisted. Unbalanced, she shot her hand out to grab the nearest thing – the chain of Rosalie's swing. The pair screamed as they careened through the air and landed sharply on the asphalt with pained cries._

" _Oh, shit…" Edward breathed, moving round to scoop Scarlett into his arms. She already had tears pouring in torrents over her rosy cheeks as Archie lifted Rosalie. "You okay, Bella Bean?"_

 _Despite her tears and the pain in her ankle, she managed a weak smile at the use of the nickname only Edward ever used._

" _I think my ankle is broke, Edley."_

 _Her whimpers just about broke his heart. To make matters infinitely worse, a boy he knew occasionally said mean things to the girls, chose that as the perfect time to make a bad situation even worse._

" _Ha-ha, Scarlett fell over!" He crowed._

 _Archie saw the anger on his friend's face immediately. Checking with Rosalie first to make sure she could stand, he set her on her feet and clasped Edward's shoulder hard. Deep, dark, furious jade eyes locked on the boy's face as he spun, ignoring Archie's hold. Scarlett cringed and cowered into Edward's chest, clutching at his Rolling Stones t-shirt._

" _Are you seriously laughing because she hurt herself?"_

 _The eleven-year-old, redheaded boy grinned wickedly, not realizing it was the stupidest thing he could have done in front of the protective older boy. Edward ground his teeth, fingers flexing behind Scarlett's back and knees where he cradled her._

" _Leave it, man. The kid ain't worth it," Archie insisted._

 _The only thing that stopped Edward from pummeling the little brat was the fact that he couldn't stomach the thought of putting Scarlett on the ground to do it._

" _No, he's not." Glaring at the boy, he continued, "If I see you_ anywhere near _these two again, you won't be so lucky. We clear, kid?"_

 _The boy all but wet his pants at the look on the older boy's face as he towered over him, spitting the words angrily. He took one quick glance at Archie's face, set with the grim determination of someone who knew what it was like to lose a fight to the tall, Italian teenager, before turning tail to run right out of the park._

 _Slowly but surely the fury leeched from Edward's body._

 _His eyes melted back to the soft shade of green Scarlett often likened to her favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream, a toothy yet sheepish half-smile taking the place of his previous scowl. As the foursome went back to Charlie's to get Scarlett's ankle checked by her dad, Edward apologized, grinning gratefully when she just patted his cheek and thanked him for sticking up for her. Years of being sporty and fitness-oriented allowed him to keep her in his arms until he relinquished her to Charlie on the doorstep._

Rosalie's half-smile was wiped from her face at the sound of footsteps. Baby-blues landed on Edward, after flitting to the doorway in time to see Charlie's retreating back.

"He's gone to take a shower," Edward explained.

"Okay," she mouthed in reply, nursing her coffee.

As Edward stood, blinking blearily now that the adrenaline of Scarlett's panic attack had worn off, Rosalie couldn't help but smile at the look of boyish displeasure on his face; the amount of sun pouring in through the open drapes on the French doors apparently too much. His face reminded her of Carl-Roman, with whom she already couldn't wait to spend more time.

He reached up to scratch absent-mindedly at his stomach, not noticing the way Rosalie's cheeks flushed crimson as her eyes caught sight of his toned midsection, his shirt rising up as he gazed around the room.

"Now, I don't know about you, but I'm dying for another coffee."

With that, he strode across the room, flicking the switch on the kettle to set it going again.

"You sleep all right? I didn't hear a peep last night. It's so quiet here, much quieter than my place. Took me ages to get used to it. I'd forgotten how silent it can be, here."

Rosalie nodded in agreement. Back on the ranch, there was always at least a little noise. The horses kicking about in the barn, Jesse snoring next-door, the cats yowling from the windowsill. The nights back home were eerily silent.

"Where do you live now? Is it near? I think you mentioned it, but I don't remember."

Edward tipped his head to smirk, not unkindly, at her, "Rome. Not so close, no."

Again, Rosalie's cheeks flushed. He ramped up his accent on purpose, her embarrassment acute as she wrapped her arms around her middle. "That should have been obvious, huh."

Humming teasingly, Edward huffed a satisfied breath a moment later when he raised his fresh, steaming cup of coffee to his lips. There was a sharp pang of longing in Rosalie's stomach at the realization – that's how Emmett drank his coffee, too. Black, straight from the kettle, and scalding hot.

"You want…?"

"No, thank you."

The pair sat in companionable silence for a little while, until Rosalie remembered something else. Another childhood memory. She couldn't help but let out an amused little giggle. In response, Edward eyed her with his head cocked slightly to one side. Rosalie likened him to a puppy you couldn't help but be fond of despite his mischief.

"What was that girl's name…Tisha, was it?"

Edward groaned, his head hitting the table with a muted thump.

 _Charlie had tasked the boys with looking after the girls for the afternoon while he and Peter worked. It was a Saturday, but since Penelope and Tina had died, they'd needed the extra hours, especially during winter months when construction work was scarce. Then, in the bitter cold of late March, two years later, the men were forced to run their construction business while managing their homes and the five children they had between them._

 _Thankfully, with Edward staying just down the street with his aunt and uncle for a while, they felt marginally better leaving the two elder girls with him and Archie. The two-year-old twins were with their grandparents for the day, so the troublesome foursome found themselves at a loss for something to do._

 _Deciding they didn't want to stay inside when there were remnants of snow to play with, Edward and Archie bundled the girls up in their outdoor clothes, leading them down to Hampden Park where many other kids of similar ages were reveling in the freshly falling snowflakes. To the boys' delight, there were also some girls of their age. Leaving Scarlett and Rosalie in the playground with some friends from school, Archie and Edward sauntered with all the cockiness of teenage boys towards the giggling girls._

 _An hour later, when Scarlett's fingers were so red she thought they'd fall off, she and Rosalie made their way over to Edward and Archie. The two would-be studs were still trying to make a good impression, but to little avail._

 _Seeing her chance to cash in on a piggyback home, Scarlett beamed as sweetly as she could manage and tapped Edward on the hip. He glanced down at her, two pink spots high on her cheeks from the cold. Automatically his lips pulled into a wide, toothy smile that had the girls around him swooning. His mega-watt smile had always been his ultimate weapon – he just hadn't learned to use it to its full advantage yet._

" _Whatta you after, Bella Bean?" His strong accent made it sound more like 'afta,' which (to the teenage girls who'd never been anywhere further than Brighton with their mums) was about as delicious as it could get. That wasn't including the way he knelt to talk to Scarlett either, his bright grin never wavering even when she jutted out her lower lip to ask to go home. Intelligent beyond her years and as perceptive as her quick-witted father, young Scarlett knew just how to play the cutesy little angel. After all, Archie had enrolled her and Rosalie many a time to help impress girls. They'd been trained well._

" _Well, we'll be seein' you. Gotta get these ones home before they freeze." Edward scooped a beaming Scarlett onto his back, Rosalie on Archie's, before they turned back to their now-staring admirers._

" _Add me on BEBO, Edward," one girl simpered with all the grace of a smitten, fourteen-year-old. Her friends were quick to suggest the same thing to both boys, so when they carried the two girls away a few minutes later, the first thing they agreed upon was that they definitely had time to stop and treat their little helpers to sweets from the penny shop. Whilst adding their new fangirls on BEBO, the most 'in' social network site of the times._

 _Scarlett and Rosalie reached across to high-five each other from the boys' backs._

"That girl, Tisha, she didn't stop harassing me for about a year!" Edward erupted into chuckles at the memory, wiping his eyes theatrically as Rosalie beamed – much like she had back then. "It was all your fault, too. You and Scarlett were _too good_ at playing the cute card."

"Yeah, but it was so _fun_."

Edward couldn't help but grin and agree, mind full of the beaming, giggly girls instead of the shells they'd become.

 **~ oOo ~**

Charlie hauled himself from the shower almost forty minutes later. The past month had exhausted him physically and mentally, so he'd taken the time to really savor the shower and soak his tired muscles. He followed Edward's chuckles and Rosalie's quieter giggles to the kitchen where he found them raking over funny and embarrassing stories from their childhood. One of which was a trip to the park that Charlie remembered all-too-well, albeit not as fondly as Edward and Rosalie did.

"Archie dropped my new phone in the pond that day," he commented wryly, alerting the pair to his presence. Edward's grin widened, while Rosalie's fell for a second before stretching out again. "Insurance wouldn't pay, so I made him save up for months to buy me a new one."

"Yeah, and then you didn't make him buy it. He was so annoyed 'cause by then he'd missed the chance of a date he was supposed to go on with Tisha's friend."

Charlie wrinkled his nose. "'Tisha?' What sort of name is that?"

Edward and Rosalie shared a bemused look, bursting into loud laughter at the utterly bewildered look on Charlie's face.

 **~ oOo ~**

Five minutes later, after the pair had gathered control of themselves, Peter arrived with the hesitant announcement that the girls would be over at twelve, having returned from their camping trip. They'd be there in less than five hours. Rosalie was filled with nervous anticipation. It felt as though someone was running an electric current through her skin and hummed continuously throughout the morning.

When Scarlett emerged from the bedroom, weary after her late-night panic attack and embarrassed at the way she'd behaved, it was to gentle smiles and a hug from Marley. Once she'd decamped from Edward's lap at the dinner table, anyway.

"Morning, baby girl," she sighed, not realizing how much she needed a cuddle from her baby until Marley wrapped her arms around her neck. "Morning, Edward," she added, smiling cautiously at him. All she could picture was his worried face and the feel of him surrounding her, crowding out the nightmare that had terrified her.

Edward's warm grin melted Scarlett's exhausted body. " _Buongiorno,_ Scarlett."

Looping her arm through Scarlett's, Rosalie led her across the kitchen to the table where the pair perched on chairs beside each other. Edward was opposite them with Charlie beside him and Peter on the girls' left at the head of the table. The men nursed coffees, the smell of which sent a pang of nausea through Scarlett's stomach.

 _Emmett_. Of course, she knew by then that he was in protective custody for his own safety, but she couldn't help thinking _if it weren't for us he'd be living a normal life._

It seemed that all she could do was wallow in guilt. Guilt for keeping Rosalie and Marley on the ranch. Guilt for the upheaval Emmett had to deal with. Guilt because she knew that by this time on Friday Charlie would likely know the worst of what happened in Montana, how the scars she found him glancing at when he thought she wasn't looking had made themselves at home on her body.

How he'd have heard about Marley's conception, and that of the baby she currently carried, in detail.

"You know, when I last saw you, girls, your dads were still mastering the braids so you could change out the pigtails every now and then." At Edward's observation, Charlie and Peter snorted.

"Still can't do it, either," Charlie admitted, smiling over the rim of his _Number One Dad_ mug. Peter gruffly told them that Heidi and Pippa finally caved and taught him about a year before.

Scarlett's eyes flitted between her dad, uncle, and Edward, the brother Archie chose for himself. Listening to the easy camaraderie was strange for her. When she and Rosalie were taken, Edward had been fifteen. Not quite a boy but not yet a man. It struck her then that it wasn't just her brother who'd changed considerably in the past twelve years.

Tall, tanned from working in the sun, and broad-shouldered, Edward had come a long way from the lanky boy of her memories. A dusting of scruff covered an angular jaw, the cheeky, charming, touch of a lopsided grin in the center. She also noticed belatedly that he no longer wore his hair flat to his head – it was artfully mussed, sticking up in all directions. And then there were his eyes…dark jade with almost chocolatey flecks around his pupils. Like mint chocolate chip ice cream, her favorite.

Scarlett told herself firmly that it was purely for observational reasons she was studying him in this way, although how she'd missed it in the weeks they'd been reacquainted, she wasn't sure.

After snapping photos on her dad's camera of Edward feeding Marley bites of his pancakes, despite her having one of her own on a plate in front of her, Scarlett excused herself and settled on the window seat in the living room. Nobody followed, understanding how overwhelmed she was.

"Is she okay?" Edward gazed anxiously at the door he'd just watched her walk through.

"Too much to take in at once, that's all. I think she was feeling a little sick today, too," Rosalie reassured him gently. Nobody needed her to elaborate on the 'feeling sick' subject.

The baby.

It was the subject everybody was dancing around. Scarlett never brought it up, so nobody ever mentioned it.

Edward, torn between knowing Scarlett needed space and wanting to comfort her like he used to when she was little, fought a grimace as he shifted in his seat, trailing the tip of his right pinky finger around the top of his coffee mug instead, and refocusing on Marley.

 **~ oOo ~**

"I'm nervous, Dad."

Peter tightened his grip on Rosalie. Though he wouldn't point it out, he already knew she was nervous; he could feel her body trembling something fierce against his side. It was five past twelve. Any minute, Roy and Mary would arrive with Pippa and Heidi.

It would be the first time Scarlett and Rosalie had seen them since they were toddlers.

Their memories were faded from lack of use, but in the minds of the girls, they still had sandy brown bobs, and cherubic smiles in four-year-old faces.

For Rosalie in particular, it was terrifying. These two girls were her baby sisters, even if they hadn't been as close as she was with Archie. Worry churned in her stomach as she considered the possibility that they might not care she was back. After all, they probably had very few memories of her, if any at all. Why should she expect them to miss somebody they didn't remember?

The feel of fingers slotting themselves between hers made Rosalie turn her head slightly to one side. Scarlett offered her a tiny half-smile. "It'll be okay, don't worry. You're doing great."

Even though they were standing just a foot away on either side of her, neither Charlie nor Peter heard Scarlett's words. But Rosalie did.

She smiled back gratefully, albeit decidedly shaky, and steeled herself as the muffled sound of car doors closing filtered in through the cracked-open living room window. Edward excused himself. At the same time, Scarlett slid onto the sofa farthest from the door with Marley on her lap, Charlie adjusting his stance so he could see his daughter, Peter, and Rosalie without having to turn. With Archie anxiously awaiting a phone call to say the reunion had gone well, Charlie's brother Patrick waiting for the 'okay' to at least speak to the girls over the phone, and the upcoming four days of statements weighing heavily on his mind, Charlie was more than feeling his fifty-five years.

While washing earlier in the morning, he'd found two, new gray hairs at his left temple. In the years since his wife's death, Charlie had struggled with the man he'd become, had struggled to come to terms that not only was the only woman he'd ever loved gone, he was left with their two heartbroken children. It took a long time for him to be comfortable within himself again, even before the setback of losing Scarlett and Rosalie.

Now, he found himself looking into the mirror at an unfamiliar man once again.

For twelve years, he'd been 'the man whose daughter was kidnapped'.

Who was he now?


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**~ oOo ~**

 **An early update! I know; we haven't had one  
of these in a while, huh? *shields face from flying  
tomatoes***

 **So I'm back in my rhythm with cranking the  
chapters out, and I'm actually halfway through  
the penultimate chapter now.  
**

 **That said, I'm not a hundred percent sure I'll  
be able to let go of these characters and their world  
just yet, so only time will tell if I continue beyond  
where I'm at right now.**

 **As always, I'm looooving your opinions, and your  
cheerleading. These girls stole my heart a long  
time ago, and I'm glad to see that you're all loving  
on them, too. I'm sorry I've been an utter fail at  
responding to reviews, but I promise I'm reading  
them and doing my best to get back to as many of you  
as possible!**

 **Big THANK YOUs and much love to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding  
 **They make me look good, and gain very little  
from doing so. Without you ladies this would  
be a messy shambles.**

 **Anyways, enough outta me, right?**

 **I'll let you dive in.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

As expected, the reunion between the two eldest girls and the two youngest was a tearful, emotional affair.

As soon as the identical twins stepped through the door, their faces were drenched in tears. Rosalie's took a few moments longer to appear as she tried to reconcile the toddlers she'd left with the young women they'd become, but once they'd started, she couldn't stop them.

Scarlett released a single, solitary tear, watching with her legs tucked against her chest, her heart thumping wildly. Charlie and Peter were overwhelmed at the sight of the young twins embracing Rosalie, who, for so long, had been seen as a twin to Scarlett.

For Mary and Roy, the couple who'd all but mothered Pippa and Heidi since Rosalie's disappearance, the sight of their three granddaughters huddled together was everything they'd wished for. On the other hand, Scarlett's defensive position and the child in her lap told them what they'd hoped wouldn't be true – the girls hadn't had a happy life away from home.

Large, stormy, sea-blue eyes gazed around the room at the reuniting family. Meanwhile, Scarlett felt as though her heart was breaking all over again. Heidi and Pippa had grown up to look every bit their mother's clones, from the color and style of their hair to their light green eyes. Despite them having known their mother for only a year before her death, Scarlett could clearly see the startling resemblances in their personalities. Tina had always had a way of smiling that made you want to know what put it there. Heidi had that same expression down to a fine art. As she whispered to Rosalie that she'd missed her, Pippa's voice sent a shudder down Scarlett's spine – it was Tina's, bell-like tones perfectly duplicated.

It was those realizations that were tearing Scarlett to pieces, because she knew that while being kidnapped wasn't anybody's fault but Garrett Smith's, she was heaping the full burden of not escaping sooner on her own, too-slender shoulders. Rightly or wrongly, Scarlett felt responsible for her minutes-younger pseudo-sister, and it was with that thought that she shifted Marley to her hip, making the most of everybody's preoccupation to slip away.

In the garden, Edward tugged at his hair with both hands, torso bent over his knees as he tapped his foot against the patio in agitation. Through the open kitchen window, he heard the squeals of the girls, the sobs, and the 'I love yous.' Finally finding it too difficult to listen to their declarations, he rose quickly to his feet and made to leave.

"You're leaving?" A small voice murmured, just as his hand made contact with the handle on the gate.

Cocking his head around the corner, he spotted Scarlett, Marley smiling widely at him from her side. Jade green eyes took in the baggy, gray, jersey jogging bottoms, fluffy pink socks and a t-shirt that was very obviously Charlie or Archie's. The wide-striped orange and white tee drowned her, hanging almost to her knees. She looked adorable, he realized with a jolt of affection.

"I, er, figured you'd want to…" Edward waved a hand awkwardly towards the house, "umm, you know… It's been a long time."

Scarlett let out a low hum, frowning at the garden. He wondered fleetingly if it looked different to her. Little about either house, Charlie's or Peter's, had changed in the years she'd been absent, but the garden had been altered the most. The pond had gone, making way for Carl-Roman's sandbox, and the garden furniture he'd made had replaced the old metal bench.

"How're you feeling? Must be weird, huh? It was strange for me, and I was here before just before Christmas."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Edward regretted them. As if she needed reminding that it had been years since she was there last.

Despite his worrying over upsetting her, Scarlett simply dropped her head in a nod, sliding down the wall to sit on the patio, knees drawn up, Marley sitting across them, chest-to-chest with her mother.

"I didn't expect everything to be so different, but the same."

The breeze swept her words towards Edward, frozen with his hand on the gate. The same gate he, Charlie, and Archie had worked on together in December when the last one fell and broke in a particularly violent storm. He was torn between wanting to join Scarlett, but not wanting to frighten her by getting too close. Even though she'd let him hold her that morning, he didn't want to test her boundaries without a good reason. It wasn't always easy to be sure how close was 'too close.'

"It's like…we were in a place that changed with the seasons, but apart from that, it just, stayed the same. Here, not so much."

The look of childlike bemusement on her face as she tilted her head at him took Edward by surprise. The rush of nostalgia was strong, blurred memories from years previous shoving unapologetically to the forefront of his mind.

"It's like someone hit pause on us and fast forwarded the rest of the world. Do you know what I mean?"

Edward took note of two things. The first was the lilting drawl to Scarlett's words. It was more noticeable when she spoke in full sentences.

The second was the strong urge he felt to scoop this poor, heartbreakingly sad girl into his arms so he could squeeze all the hurt from her body until the goofy smiles he remembered reappeared. It was virtually irrepressible.

"I can't even imagine what it's like," he eventually forced himself to utter, pushing a breath out to relax his tense muscles.

"You can—" Scarlett paused, gulping hard enough that Edward could see the movement of her throat from six feet away. "You can sit. If you want."

A hesitant pause later saw Edward sitting on the edge of the deck chair she'd indicated with a dip of her head. He eyed her carefully for signs of fear or stress, but she seemed calm enough, cuddling her baby close, still a meter or so between their feet. Though Edward expected her to talk some more, she didn't, so they lapsed into a semi-comfortable silence broken only by the occasional squawk of a seagull overhead, or a car zooming down the bypass on the other side of the lake at the back of the house.

Edward couldn't suppress a chuckle, when, a few minutes later, Scarlett's body shook with a hearty yawn. "Tired?"

She hummed, eyeing him with her right cheek resting atop Marley's head.

"I would've thought you'd sleep like a baby. You looked exhausted last night."

Her eyes switched from wary sea-blue to guarded dark turquoise within an instant. She couldn't make herself look in his direction. "Sorry. About last night."

"Hey, you've got nothin' to apologize for, Bean."

At that, Scarlett's eyes darted towards him. They shared a careful smile. 'Bean,' or 'Bella Bean,' had always been his nickname for her when they were younger because she'd always been more than a little obsessed with _Jelly Beans_. Edward had begun using the nickname when she was four, and never let it go.

Saying it then, seeing the way the solemn girl's face lit up at just the mention of it, made Edward's stomach warm pleasantly with a sense of pride. If being the friend to her he always had been helped make things better, he was more than happy to be that again.

When Charlie found them five minutes later, the stormy quality to her eyes and the agitated tapping of her foot were the only things hinting at her nerves.

"Are you okay, baby girl?"

Scarlett shuffled her body, facing her dad's confused, half-smiling face. "I'm…I'm good, Dad. I thought Rosalie, and the girls, would want some space."

"Hey, we want to see you, too." Pippa appeared behind Charlie, a smile on her face, and Heidi soon joined them. As the girls sat themselves down beside each other within arms' reach of Scarlett, Edward watched attentively for signs she was distressed. He didn't see any, but when she shot him a funny glance as he tried to leave he pretended he'd only intended to get a drink and return, taking up his spot back on the recliner, a silent sentry guard.

 **~ oOo ~**

The day passed in a slow whirlwind of learning new faces, new voices, and sharing old memories.

The two younger girls spent much of the day with tears streaming down their faces. For them, it was an enormous day. The few memories they'd had of Scarlett and Rosalie had long vanished, replaced by stories they'd been told over the years by people who'd known them better. Seeing the girls in the flesh was a completely different experience.

Mary and Roy were emotional, too, unable to fully comprehend the sight of their granddaughter and her best friend. Roy, a retired policeman, struggled to put his flesh and blood in place of victims he'd seen throughout his forty-year-long career.

As afternoon aged into early evening, Peter showed his mother and father-in-law over to his house, setting them up in his room while his youngest daughters fell into theirs, shell-shocked but overwhelmingly happy. Then, he returned to Charlie's house where he planned to sleep on the sofa not already occupied.

Late that night the moon shone effervescent in the midnight sky. The only conscious occupant of the house was Scarlett, standing silently at Charlie's bedroom window watching wispy gray clouds drift across the inky sky. Rosalie and Marley slept soundly behind her, the spot she'd vacated still cold and empty.

It seemed like only yesterday she'd been looking up at the same moon from an entirely different continent, in a completely different life.

 **~ oOo ~**

Tuesday morning dawned unseasonably bitter. Scarlett, having not slept a wink the night before, was in the kitchen over an hour before anybody else in either house stirred. Edward was the first to join her.

Scrubbing the sleep from his eyes with a balled-up fist, Edward hung his calves over the end of the sofa and stretched his back until it popped quietly. His quiet groan didn't wake Peter, who had finally worried himself into a deep slumber at around three o'clock. The ivory sofa creaked slightly beneath Edward's weight as he shifted himself sideways, tossing long legs encased in a pair of dark gray, checked bottoms off the seat. Stretching out his arms pulled his muscles taut, Peter's huff of breath from across the room making him jump.

"Shit!" He breathed, rubbing his stubble-framed jaw with one hand while fruitlessly trying to tame his sleep-mussed hair with the other. It was more habit than useful, as his hair had never sat quite right unless stuck down with copious amounts of gel. Permanent bed-head, his uncle had once called it. He'd taken to hiding his hair beneath a dark gray cap he'd acquired when he was ten, and never went anywhere without it; it sat on the coffee table nearby.

A few moments later, his stomach released a growled protest at not being fed, so Edward pushed his body up and off the sofa before padding through to the kitchen. He was stunned to find he wasn't the first person up, even though it wasn't even six a.m.

The large breakfast bar was covered in bowls and plates; some full, others awaiting their contents. The smell of freshly-squeezed orange juice hitchhiked on the breeze sneaking in through the slightly opened French doors, along with the aroma of freshly baked bread, which he spotted Scarlett pulling from the oven. His eyes flew away from the food when he heard a sharp gasp.

Scarlett gazed at Edward, wide-eyed and seemingly shocked. He offered her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I didn't realize anyone else was up. You must have been making a load of noise, and I slept through it all."

Having spent a few weeks around Scarlett by now, Edward quickly backtracked. She wouldn't have made any noise. She very rarely did.

When it became obvious he wasn't going to get much out of Scarlett just yet, Edward walked the long way round the kitchen to the sink where he grabbed a glass from the draining board, pouring himself a glass of cold water to soothe his gravelly throat. From the corner of his eye, he watched Scarlett slowly continue her task, setting the steaming bread on the counter, closing the oven, and adjusting the dial. For the next few minutes, Edward simply observed, ever-hopeful she'd open up to him again. Unbeknownst to Edward, this behavior, this mountain of food she was preparing, was a defense mechanism. It was what she knew, what she'd become used to. Cooking meals for the ranch had been her task for nine years or so; she and Rosalie had taken over sole responsibility for the kitchen when they were eleven. Allowing her old traits to manifest once again was her way of keeping her mind occupied, giving it menial tasks to deal with rather than the terrifying one she'd face later that day

Giving her statement.

Rosalie would be there, too, also recounting the past twelve years to a police officer as well as an FBI agent.

Edward's gaze followed Scarlett's mechanical movements from the dining table, where he'd sat, as she removed bacon from the fridge along with sausages and a carton of eggs. In the next moment, his face contorted in horror, legs pushing him up and around the island before he could think. Scarlett's shaky grip on the eggs had faltered, the sound of a cat meowing outside sending her right back to Montana for a few, gut-wrenching seconds. The contents of the three eggs that toppled from their container splashed up over the short-sleeved t-shirt she'd borrowed from her dad and the gray tracksuit bottoms Archie had stolen for her from his fiancée's wardrobe.s

Hands hovering cautiously near her shoulders, Edward ached to help, though he wasn't sure how to go about it.

Then, as hot tears streamed in torrents over Scarlett's face and her breaths turned to shallow pants, he thought _to hell with it_ and tugged her gently into his chest, curling strong arms around her back. To his utter shock, she burrowed into him with a soft whimper. She clutched at his sides frantically, his lack of t-shirt leaving her with nothing to grip.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay, Bella. It's just me, you're all right." Edward rested his head atop her head. His hand ran a soothing path up and down the top half of her spine, the ends of her strawberry-blonde locks tickling his forearm. "Calm down. You're safe with me." Keeping his voice deliberately at a low whisper, Edward rocked their bodies side-to-side, humming the first tune that came to mind. Eventually, Scarlett came back to herself, the shudders wracking her body less frequent, tears slowing to more of a trickle than the waterfall of a minute previous.

Edward's eyebrows leaped towards his hairline at the muffled sound of her apology against his chest. Ignoring the electricity that skittered over his skin with her warm breath, Edward squeezed her gently. "Nothin' to apologize for, _ragazza dolce_."

Unlike when he deliberately called Carl-Roman nicknames in Italian to make him giggle, the 'pretty girl' he whispered into Scarlett's hair was completely unintentional, slipping out before he had a chance of catching it. Slowly but surely, little by little, her body relaxed into his. Her cheek resting against his chest, hands at his waist on the band of his pajama pants, she grew heavier as she let her fright leach from her body and absorbed his warmth instead. Heat seeped from his skin into hers, their hearts beating steadily in tandem while Scarlett forced herself to focus on where she was, who she was with. Curling a lock of hair around his finger, Edward pulled his head back slightly to peer down at Scarlett.

"You feel better?"

She nodded, tipping her head up to his with obvious determination. Soft green met azure. "Thank you, Edward."

The childlike quality to her voice tugged something primitive in Edward's psyche, his heart aching.

"Anything you need, you only have to ask, okay? I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

The pair stared at each other for a long while, two lives entwined in a mess of tangled strings, a web woven by a man so embroiled in his own selfish mind that he couldn't see the damage he'd been doing, the damage he was still doing. Edward could see it. He could see the anguish and heartbreak in Scarlett's wide, teary eyes, the broken spirit she carried, the ghost of the quirky little girl she'd once been…and yet, all he wanted was to wrap her in his arms and keep her from any more harm.

 **~ oOo ~**

The smell of cooking sausages lured Charlie, Peter, and Rosalie from their beds a short while later, though not before Marley bounced down the stairs with Mr. Eddie under her arm and a grin in place. She'd plonked herself on Edward's hip and 'helped' him pour the orange juice into glasses. Only a little was spilled.

The men emerged dressed in jeans and t-shirts. Strangely, they'd both chosen black – Charlie's a dress shirt, and Peter's a black and gray striped polo. Peter gave Rosalie a long-sleeved, dark red marl t-shirt to wear along with a pair of gray jogging bottoms. She had to roll them at the waist and ankles, so they didn't drown her, but they were fleecy and comfortable, the lingering smell of her dad's deodorant making her feel safe. When the trio made it to the kitchen within a minute of each other, they found an unexpected picture of domesticity.

Scarlett, now sporting a pair of Edward's jogging bottoms and a pale blue t-shirt with long white sleeves rolled to her elbows, was moving swiftly around the room preparing breakfast. The hem was knotted at her hip with a rubber band she'd found in the odds and ends drawer. Edward had also changed into a green, waffle-knit Henley, tan cargo shorts, and his beloved cap. Marley had refused to leave his side, clinging to his hip like a spider monkey with her hair in two, slightly wonky braids that he was incredibly proud of. He stood a meter away from Scarlett at the stove, checking on the bacon in the top oven while she chopped the few fruits she'd scrounged from the fridge and fruit bowl.

"Uh, g'morning," Charlie uttered gruffly.

Scarlett spun on her heels, blinking rapidly before her heart returned to its usual rhythm. _It's just Dad, Uncle Pete, and Rosalie_ ; Edward saw her mouth as she turned back to the counter.

"Good morning. Umm, you guys sit, and I'll…"

Unable to speak anymore through the lump in her throat, she gestured at the food, praying they'd understand. Thankfully, the two bewildered men took their seats at the table without another word. Rosalie came to help, washing her hands thoroughly before easily moving into step with the preparations. Finished with his task for the moment, Edward stepped back to watch the girls in their element. It was clear they were more at home in the kitchen than anywhere else. They worked in perfect synchronization, as though they knew the moves the other would make before they'd even made the conscious decision to do so.

Minutes later, the pair served up a feast, silent but seemingly calm. Though she didn't eat any of the food she'd cooked, Scarlett sat at the table with the group and ate a small bowl of fruit salad. The upcoming trauma had her stomach tied in knots so tight even the most adept knitter wouldn't have been able to untangle them. She was just praying her morning sickness didn't return with a vengeance, as she'd had a few days free of it by now.

Nobody said a word when she set the bowl back on the table, still half-full.

"Archie and the boys will be here soon," Charlie commented quietly as the girls began clearing plates away. There was still plenty of food left, the looming ordeal hanging over their heads robbing everybody of their appetites. It wasn't just Scarlett who had the visit to the police station weighing heavily on her mind.

"Are they…" Rosalie breathed deeply through her nose before continuing, a false note of cheer to her tone. "Are they coming with us?"

Charlie nodded, a simple dip of his head, eyes flicking to Scarlett though she had her back to him at the sink. "Kristen is catching a flight to New York today, so she's sleeping. As we'll all be out, there isn't anyone else to watch Carl-Roman and Chase. Riley said he's cleared it for them to hang with us in the waiting room."

Not for the first time, Rosalie noticed that nobody ever seemed to call Carl-Roman by one name or the other. He was always Carl-Roman, never just Carl, never just Roman. It was a sweet tribute that put a lump in her throat as she pictured the adorable little boy.

The group all heard the front door lock disengaging. It thumped the wall with a muted thud. The sound pre-empted hi-top clad feet thundering their way down the hall and into the kitchen, Charlie's face lighting up instantly.

"Were your ears burning, champ? We were just talking about you."

The boy hopped neatly into his grandfather's lap, grinning toothily. "My ears aren't burning, Pawpaw! You're silly."

Rosalie's heart thumped unevenly at the sight of Archie's mini-me bouncing on Charlie's lap, her lips tipping upwards when he spotted her and his grin widened.

"Auntie Rosie!" With the limited grace he possessed, Carl-Roman slid down, ducking under the table to crawl onto Rosalie's legs. "You're still here!"

Just then, Archie arrived in the doorway, Chase in his arms, shaking his head at his son's antics. "He begged me to let him in first, so I had to go back to sort the car out and grab this one," he explained ruefully, bouncing Chase and grinning at his eldest boy. "You left the door open again, champ."

His chastisement fell on deaf ears. The six-year-old was far more interested in his auntie.

"Come in and sit, Arch. Coffee?" Edward rose with his now-empty mug. However, before he could step away from the table, Scarlett was standing beside him with a full jug of hot coffee. Edward sank back into the leather cushioned chair with a grin as she first nudged the outside of his bicep with her shoulder, then poured a full cup for him before moving around the table to refill the other mugs as requested, placing a fresh one in front of her brother. The wary upwards tilt of her mouth as she did so was the best gift she could have given him, better even than the coffee.

"Good morning, Arch."

He grinned, reaching out to gently place his hand over hers. The onlookers were all delighted when she didn't flinch away, going so far as to turn her hand over and briefly squeeze their fingers together. It was a small step, but progress nonetheless.

Safe to say, nobody was more pleased than Scarlett that she was finally overcoming her fear of touch, bit by excruciating bit.

 **~ oOo ~**

A short while later, the mood in the house was decidedly more somber.

As nine a.m. approached, Scarlett and Rosalie excused themselves, sitting quietly on the patio while the others prepared for the unwanted excursion. Riley had been over to discuss security, because even though the press apparently hadn't caught on to the girls' presence in Eastbourne yet, it was only a matter of time before they would come looking for answers. So far, the police and FBI had collaborated and lured them to London, where they had decoys pretending to be the girls. Everyone agreed that giving them a chance to settle in at home was for the best.

Neither Scarlett nor Rosalie needed to be worrying about newspapers or press when they were still adjusting to normal life.

Even ever-cheery Carl-Roman had picked up on the shift in mood, sitting quietly on Charlie's lap with two of his favorite trains in front of him, the noises he made with his mouth softer than usual. Archie, Charlie, and Peter discussed arrangements for getting the group to the station, Edward watching from the patio doorway with Marley against his chest, her face buried in his neck.

It was eventually decided they would take Charlie's and Archie's cars, both able to transport five people each. Mary and Roy had volunteered to stay home and look after Pippa, Heidi, Carl-Roman, and Chase, so they only needed to be able to fit seven people between the two vehicles – Charlie, Peter, Edward, Marley, Scarlett, Rosalie, and Archie.

Transport arrangements finalized, Charlie leaned forward over the table and peered out through the doors to see Scarlett and Rosalie's feet tangled together on the patio, the rest of their bodies hidden around the slight corner.

All that was left to do was wait until they were ready.

A gust of wind blew through the garden, a mini tornado of grass, loose dirt, and some blossom whirling in the air beside Carl-Roman's slide. In the distance, some seagulls squawked, fighting over a piece of trash in the street. Scarlett's eyes were trained on the flicking tail atop the shed, however. A lithe gray cat's blue-gray eyes returned her attention, fur bristling in the breeze.

"Do you think they made it?" If it weren't for Rosalie's keen hearing, she would've missed Scarlett's whisper.

"I don't…I don't know. They weren't inside, so they should be okay. I mean, they usually stayed in the barn. And the barn wasn't on fire, so, I guess they're all right. Charlie and Violet are probably all warm and curled up in the bark sulking because they haven't got any milk."

Rosalie was hesitant to admit that she'd already wondered, many times, about the two cats they'd adopted as friends.

"And Bear,...Pam. The old kicker, Bruce. I wonder what happened to them all. Do you think the agents moved them?"

Much as Edward hadn't been able to quell the strange sensation Scarlett's childlike lilt stirred in him, Rosalie found herself thoroughly unable to push the look on her sister's face from her mind as she cocked her head to gaze hopefully at her, channeling Carl-Roman's innocent, puppy-dog eyes.

Arranging her features into the most reassuring shapes she could manage, Rosalie uttered the words she desperately hoped to be true. "They'll be chilling out somewhere fancy, I just know it."

Scarlett hummed, rolling her head on her knees to look back at the cat. It was gone.

"Are you nervous?" Rosalie blurted suddenly. She'd been trying so very hard to keep cool this morning, to temper her anxiety and propensity for fidgeting or leaning on Scarlett for help.

Scarlett was oddly collected, with an almost serene look on her face, her body relaxed. What nobody could see was that inside, she was far from cool or collected. Her heart thundered frantically, stomach churning as her eyes brewed a tempest. It was the reason she wouldn't meet anybody's gaze, even Rosalie's. She knew they'd give her away.

"Yeah, I am." They were the only words she could bring herself to utter, knowing that soon, all too soon, she'd be reliving most people's worst nightmare – her reality.

"We'll be okay, you know. We…we only have to tell them and then we can come back here and just relax, right? They're only words. It's not like we—" Rosalie trailed off with a choked gasp. "It's not like we're going back there. Not ever."

Both girls desperately wanted to believe Rosalie's words, wanted to believe that the next three days would be painless. They wanted to be able to tell their story to the police without falling apart, but they already were, in a way. Just the thought of being in a strange place with strange police officers while reliving the worst twelve years of their lives had both girls breaking out in cold sweats.

No matter how nice it would be to magically heal now they were home, life just doesn't work that way.

Scarlett eyed Rosalie, admiration sharpening her vision. She didn't know what she'd have done without Rosalie's unwavering support. The tired blonde was filled with a love for her pseudo sister so deep she could hardly breathe through it all. In all the years she'd been Scarlett's shoulder to cry on, Scarlett hadn't truly appreciated Rosalie. Sure, Scarlett had been the outwardly strong one, taking the punishments Garrett Smith had handed out liberally. But on the other side of things, Rosalie had to deal with the emotional ramifications of the abuse. She had to watch Scarlett return from the study with bruises, split lips, and pain in her feet where Garrett had just loved to show how strong he could be with his steel-toe-capped boots.

The image of Scarlett's black and blue ribs would be engrained in Rosalie's memory for the rest of her life, her whimpered cries burned into her eardrums. It wasn't just as simple as leaving the ranch, and it never would be.

Whenever they heard booted footsteps, saw a gray-brown head of hair or a sinister smile, heard the name 'Smith,' they'd be thrown right back to the ranch, to a time when they thought their lives had ended.

It was with those thoughts Scarlett's focus shifted to the wispy clouds drifting across the sky. It almost resembled an 'E,' she realized with a start. It reminded her of Edward, of the support they had. The friends and family rallying to help her, Rosalie, and Marley settle into their new lives. Less than twenty feet away were their dads, Archie, Edward, Carl-Roman, Chase, and Marley, all waiting patiently for them to be ready. They were all trying so very hard.

Feeling the gentle warmth of her family's love knitting itself around her body, attempting to heat her from the inside out, Scarlett tried to reassure herself with the knowledge that it didn't matter what happened today, tomorrow, next week, or next month. Because her family and friends would be there to help her, help them, through it.

Standing on shaky, fawn-like legs, Scarlett took Rosalie's hand in a firm grip. Baby-blues pleaded with her to stop this from having to happen, though Rosalie knew full-well there was nothing to be done.

This was inevitable, as were the three days of visiting the police station afterward.

"We can do this, Rose, because we've got each other."

Rosalie's lower lip trembled precariously as she rose to her own feet. The pair shared a hard, bone-crushing hug for extra strength before turning, letting themselves back into the kitchen. The men's eyes snapped to the girls, arms wrapped tight around each other's waists, body language telling of their steely determination.

Dwarfed in Edward's clothes, like Rosalie was in Peter's, Scarlett looked even tinier than usual. But the over-sized clothes, the clothes of their family, wrapped them up like a security blanket. Something given with love to help them get through the upcoming distress.

Then, in a tone surprisingly firm for the wisp of a woman, she uttered the words they were all equally dreading, yet proud of.

"We're ready."


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**~ oOo ~**

 **Yay! Somebody found us!  
FF has been having some issues this week, so  
if you received the update for this chapter, YAY!  
If you know anybody also following us here,  
please let them know about this update, as many of  
us aren't receiving notification when chapters are posted.  
Please and Thank you!**

 **So I'm still an utter fail at replying to reviews, but trust**  
 **me, I looove seeing them pop into my email inbox while**  
 **I'm working or chasing after my spotty dog at the park**  
 **while he violates every dog going *sigh***

 **Huuuuge, massive thank yous to my dream team,  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding  
 **for being the best there is. I love you both! You're  
** **awesome. I don't know where I'd be without you both.  
** **I did do some pretty major tinkering, so any mistakes  
** **left are mine alone.**

 **Thank you for sticking with us! I know it's a slow burn,  
but I have no intention - or ability - to tie this up in only  
one or two chapters. I'm currently working on Chap.30...  
So there you go, still a fair way to go.**

 **Anyway, enough outta me.**  
 **Get on with it ;)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

"I want officers and my agents covering every exit. Martin, Jensen, I want you at the entrance with Bruce. Thompson, you're at the rear entrance with two of my men. Got it?"

Two stern-faced agents and an officer nodded before moving swiftly to their stations. Riley slumped back in the chair he'd been given in the temporary office set up in the police headquarters. It was almost nine a.m., his tie already suffocating him while the walls seemed to creep closer and closer with every passing second.

Instead of waiting outside for the Swans and Hales as he'd planned, Riley was forced to stay inside the station. He stood to glower out of the window at the cause of his confinement.

Thick blue gates held back the hordes of journalists and curious civilians. Somehow, the girls' location had been leaked.

The agitated FBI agent had already been made aware of the responsible party, and had made the leak wet his pants from the verbal tongue-lashing Riley accosted him with, before he fired the traitorous fool.

Anything that made this day harder than it needed to be was a big no-no in his book. Access to certain areas of the station had been restricted, all of their female officers had been pulled in to work the security points, and Riley had made the necessary arrangements to have security from his own detail flown in. He was frustrated with the entire situation. Having hoped to keep Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley safe from the press for a while longer, he was furious at their loss of privacy so soon after arriving back in England. They'd had a mere three days to get used to their homes again before being thrust into the limelight. With press gathered from all over the country, as well as some from further afield, he knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to take drastic action to ensure their safety.

As far as he was concerned, if the world knew where the girls were, so did Garrett Smith.

"Sir, they're just around the corner."

Riley swung to face one of the local officers cowering in the door. The tense atmosphere radiating from Riley wasn't exactly pleasant to be around, and the officer had already had the pleasure of witnessing the mole's punishment firsthand. Needless to say, he wasn't in the mood for pissing the FBI agent off any further.

"Thank you." Long strides carried him quickly through the hallways towards the entrance, where he shoved through the doors onto the pavement outside. Journalists spotted him, yelling for his attention. They fired questions about Charlie and Peter, the girls, their captor. So far, they had no idea what was going on. No idea about Marley, or the unborn child in Scarlett's womb.

Riley intended to keep it that way.

He knew the Swans and Hales had arrived when the crowd lost interest in him, a ripple of even louder noise spreading through their ranks. The gates were opened with haste, and the two cars pulled in, a trio of Riley's agents as well as a handful of police officers ensuring the station was secured behind them.

Two men, both well over six feet tall, joined Riley as the cars pulled up. Charlie and Peter were the first to get out, expressions confused as they asked, "how do they know?"

Riley shook his head, telling them he'd explain later, before moving to open the rear car door. Scarlett was nearest to him, sliding from the car hesitantly. She was swamped in Edward's clothes, but immediately the press seemed to catch on that she was one of the girls, though with her hair tucked into the pulled-up hood of Edward's dark gray marl hoodie they had no way of telling which one. Edward slipped out behind her, instinctively tucking an arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay, just ignore them," Riley said gently, wanting to shoot each and every person shouting questions from the other side of the fence.

Despite the way she trembled a little, surprised to have Edward so close to her, Scarlett made no effort to shake off his arm. At that moment in time, Edward's presence was very much welcomed, even if it did make goosebumps ripple over her skin. The people yelling from the other side of the car park and the two large men standing near the car meant nothing to her, cocooned in the safety of Edward's arms, as she was.

Edward glared at the amassed army of nosy journalists and cameramen as though his fury at their inconsideration of the girls' feelings would disperse them. The volume of the crowd increased incrementally when Rosalie stepped out into Peter's arms, the hood of his borrowed hoodie covering her hair and face from the snap-happy cameras. Archie joined them as Edward scooped Marley from the backseat and they all hurried inside. As soon as the glass doors closed behind them, the outside noise became a quiet rumble, muffling the shouts.

"Are you okay?" Riley asked the girls, eyeing their tiny frames in too-large clothes, while trying not to show his agitation at the situation. As he led the group through the mostly empty hallways towards the soft interview room where they would be waiting, Scarlett and Rosalie dropped their hoods. To Riley's surprise, they both looked better than he imagined they would. Both seemed rested, though their eyes flitted nervously around everything they passed.

"How did they know we were here, I thought you said they wouldn't?"

At Rosalie's quiet words, Riley couldn't help but wince. He _had_ said the situation would be under control, that they'd be safe. Of course, he hadn't counted on a stupid man bragging to his friends over drinks that he was helping with the Swan-Hale case.

"There was a breach. An officer shot his mouth off to the wrong person. You're all safe, nobody can get you here, so please don't worry. You have my sincere apologies for that debacle outside."

Nobody could doubt his heartfelt tone or the look on his face, not even the girls' dads who were gunning for somebody to blame. They'd been ambushed by the press at the end of the road. For Charlie and Peter, this was a strangely familiar scene. They were taken back to a time when their lives were falling apart – the day they'd come for a press conference in front of the live media to beg for information. A little over twelve years later, they found themselves in the same building, only this time, they could see, hear, and touch their daughters. They were home, safe.

In the soft interview room twenty minutes later, Peter and Charlie paced. Archie sat with his head atop tented hands, eyes intent on the clock hanging on the wall. Edward leaned against the wall next to the window, alternately gazing at the dark gray and black clouds rolling in from the coast, and at Marley playing with the dollhouse in the corner of the room.

Roy and Mary had just been on the phone to their son-in-law to inform him that there were cameramen and representatives from most newspapers and television shows decorating their lawns and the street surrounding them. A team had been dispatched to secure the premises, and the two agents Riley had drafted in were on their way to begin their duties early. He also had someone working on a short statement for the press, because he knew from experience that without one, it was likely they'd only be hounding them worse.

On one of two three-seater sofas, Rosalie sat cross-legged, sipping a glass of water from the cooler that stood against one pale yellow wall. On the other sofa, Scarlett sat, her head tipped back against the cushions, eyes closed, lips parted only enough to allow her to breathe, left leg crossed over right. On either side of the door leading to the hallway one guard stood – the two men from outside a short while before. The man on the inside, Robert Rodriguez, mused that if it weren't for the way Scarlett rhythmically clenched and unclenched her hand you'd be hard-pressed to tell whether she was sleeping or no longer with them. It was unsettling, to say the least.

Hearing the sound of footsteps long before the others, Scarlett's eyes slid open to rest on Rosalie opposite her. The sofas had been placed in such a way that they were parallel, with a pair of armchairs adjacent, the wall housing the door and a bookshelf filled with books and magazines bookending the seats. In Rosalie's eyes, Scarlett could clearly see nerves, anticipation, and fear. Up and down the far side of the room, Charlie and Peter paced, crossing over on the fifth stride every time, their hands alternating between their pockets, hair, and sides.

Despite the looming hours of hellish questioning, Rosalie couldn't help but smile a little as she looked from Scarlett's outwardly serene face to her dad's frantic movements. He hadn't shaved in days, so he sported a beard as well as a longer-than-usual cut atop his head. His light blue eyes shone with a frenzy of emotion. Even as he muttered something about this being 'a horrible idea,' Rosalie found her lips twisting upwards. It took a few moments for her to realize that she was going to have to try really hard to stop the hysterical giggles worming their way up her windpipe. They were totally inappropriate for the situation, but they were all that would come when Riley came back for her, if she didn't sort her emotions out soon.

He had already informed the group that Rosalie would be making her statement first, then she and Scarlett would swap to allow both girls breaks in between. Nobody was under any illusion that this four-day stint was going to be anything but a hideous ordeal for Scarlett and Rosalie. All they could do was try to minimize its hideousness.

The footsteps Scarlett had picked up on belonged to Riley, who'd come to speak with Charlie and Peter before they began. The room he'd be using was next door, but the observation room on the other side of _that_ room was the point of contention. Riley wasn't sure the girls' loved ones should be in there while he spoke to Scarlett and Rosalie. Though he understood Charlie and Peter's hesitation in having their girls out of eyeshot, it was going to be a difficult day for everybody involved, not least the girls. He tried to convey the point to the dads that should they decide to observe the interviews it was inevitable they'd hear things that would anger them. He, himself, wasn't sure how he was going to keep his calm, professional manner in check now that he'd gotten to know the girls a little. The time spent with them in the safe house was the most profoundly life-changing weeks of his forty-eight years.

He could only imagine, though he didn't like to, the torture it would doubtlessly be for Charlie and Peter to hear what had obviously been a horrific twelve years in the lives of their daughters.

When Riley led Rosalie into the room they'd chosen to give the interviews in, it was with the knowledge that Peter, at least, was in the observation room on the other side of the large, reflective glass mirror. There was also the prerequisite police officer to ensure nothing went awry.

The room they'd chosen was decorated a pale yellow, off-white shade, a two-seater sofa adjacent to a green armchair with a chipped white-wood coffee table nearby, as well as a camera set up on a tripod in the corner. As Rosalie gulped hard and took her seat in the armchair, her gaze flicked subconsciously to the window where she knew her dad would be watching, worrying, wondering what he'd be shortly listening to. She couldn't help but consider whether it was the right decision to have him in that room. He was strong, tough, wanting so much to be the man his daughters needed whenever they hurt, but this wasn't a fall in the playground or a rogue bull in the park. This was big.

Depending on how long it would take Rosalie to explain everything, Peter – and whoever else wandered into the observation room – would have four days of hearing how his daughter and niece were systematically forced to give up everything they loved, forced to pretend they were Garrett Smith's adoring daughters, forced to be, essentially, slaves. Seeing how protective he'd become, to the point of sleeping on Charlie's sofa every night despite living next door, Rosalie knew how much hearing this was going to hurt him.

"Rosalie? Are you okay?" Riley's purposefully soft voice interrupted her morose thought of her dad.

She blinked at him, inhaling deeply. "I…I think so."

He nodded sadly, head turning at the sound of the door opening. Slowly, and with the gentlest of smiles, a woman stepped inside.

"Miss Hale, Mr. Lawrence, I'm Chief Inspector Kendra Wallace."

Rosalie cast a questioning look to Riley, who acknowledged her unspoken question with a slight dip of his head before addressing the Chief Inspector.

"We've been expecting you, come in."

The woman, with soft hazel eyes and a wavy, light brown bob, took a seat beside him on the sofa. Her gaze radiated sympathy; Rosalie's stomach turned.

 _And so it begins._

"Okay, Rosalie, I just need to remind you that we need the entire truth today, and as much detail as you can remember, all right? Anything and everything, even if it seems silly to you. Do you understand?"

Rosalie gulped, nodding. "Ye-yes, Riley. I understand."

Riley nodded, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "Good. Why don't you start with telling us what happened on February 7th, 2004."

"Well, we were walking home, like normal, then all of a sudden two men came up behind us in a van and grabbed us. One of them covered my mouth with his hand and threw me in a van." She sucked in a deep breath, stumbling over Smith's name. "G-Garrett was the one who got Scarlett."

"Can you tell us what you remember about the other man?"

"He had black hair. Um, it was long, and it didn't look like he'd washed it in a while. We didn't see him again, though."

Kendra took over as Riley made some rapid notes on the pad in his lap. Her voice was soft, but she had a steely look on her face. "Rosalie, what happened after the men put you in the van? Did they say anything?"

"I don't…I think he started to tell us not to scream or anything, but then he started coming towards us so I—" Rosalie coughed, clearing her throat. "I kicked him. In the face, I mean. I kicked him here," she pointed to her own jaw, warmed by the almost proud half-smile Riley shot her.

"Just for the tape, Rosalie, who did you kick?"

"Garrett. I kicked Garrett. The other guy was driving. He—Garrett—had a towel in each hand, and he was coming at us with them, so I just kicked out at him. He got distracted, but then he got us anyway. I think there was something on the towels, because that's all I remember until we got to the…to the ranch."

"What happened when you got to the ranch?"

"It was really late, but he locked me upstairs in a room without any lights and took Scarlett away. I found out later that they went to his s-study. When she came back, Scarlett told me that we had to pretend he was our d-d-d…our father, and his wife was our mo-mother. We couldn't tell anyone who we were, and we had to pretend to be twins so people wouldn't ask why we looked the same age. Scarlett kept telling me to hang in there, that someone would come for us. We kept waiting and waiting…We thought it wouldn't be long, that we could just stay in bed until the police came."

Seeing Rosalie's agitation, Riley gently tried to re-direct her. "Tell me about your daily routine."

"Um, basically we just had to look after the ranch. I mean, we weren't very old so most stuff we didn't have a clue, but we tried to learn quickly. Cooking and stuff, we just had to learn as we went along. And there were some cook books laying around. All the cleaning we just kind of figured out over time."

"And were you ever allowed off the ranch? Did you ever go anywhere?"

"No. Never. We never left the ranch until we escaped."

"Okay. And were you the only ones on the ranch?"

Even though she knew Riley was aware there were ranch hands, she understood that he had to ask. This entire process had been explained to her beforehand. Riley needed as much information as possible, but he couldn't be seen to lead her in any of her answers, so some of his questions would seem repetitive or silly, bearing in mind all he already knew.

"No. Every spring new men would show up to help with the ranch, but by winter they'd gradually leave again because there was less to do."

"Did the same ones ever come back?"

"Not really. A few stayed year-round, but mostly they just came for a few months then we didn't see them again. They stayed away from us but we heard Garrett warning them that we were off-limits, so I'm not surprised. They all seemed a bit wary of him. The few that stayed all the time ended up being good friends…" Rosalie trailed off, picturing Emmett's face in the rear-view mirror back at the ranch. She hadn't been able to shake the image from her mind, and often remembered driving away from him in her dreams.

They continued in this manner for almost two hours – Riley or Kendra prompting, Rosalie doing her best to give as much detail as she could. There were lots of things she didn't know, or were secondhand knowledge because Garrett had, for some reason or another, never actually focused his abuse or attention on Rosalie.

"Thank you, Rosalie. You're doing great, really, really great. Now, please can you tell us about Garrett, and how he treated you and Scarlett."

"Um, like when he was a-abusive?"

Riley nodded, so she sighed and steeled herself.

"We'd been there a few months when he did it the first time, I think. We were making lunch, and he came into the kitchen to get coffee. He told me to make him some with the new machine, but I didn't know how, so Scarlett did it instead. When he came back, he was really mad, and dragged her out of the room. He sent me upstairs, though. I didn't mean for her to get into trouble for me! I didn't know what to do! And then, and then, she always got in trouble, even if things were my fault. He was so horrid to her. And I didn't mean for her to get hurt. I'm sorry! Oh, God, I'm so sorry!"

At this point, Rosalie was all but hyperventilating. Riley moved quickly from his seat to rub her back in soothing circles, murmuring words of reassurance as she fought to suck in enough oxygen. Glancing up at Kendra, Riley made a quick decision.

"She's had enough. We'll see if Scarlett's ready, and let Rosalie have a break." He squeezed her shoulder gently, bending a little to give her a soft smile. "You can take a break now, okay? There's no rush."

Rosalie nodded jerkily, eyes darting towards the large window. She knew her dad was on the other side, though it was Scarlett she needed first. Riley stood, helping her stand on fawn-like legs, and led her from the room.

 **~ oOo ~**

The sun emerged from between two thick clouds, peeking at the spectacle below for a second before retreating behind its cover. Rain permeated the clothes of the journalists and their cameramen who were gathered outside the station, all of them under orders to get the money shot. They all wanted to see the girls nobody had set eyes on in over a decade.

A lone seagull swooped overhead, his shadow moving across the carpark, a single white feather dropping to fly past a cluster of windows at the back of the station. Charlie, Archie, and Edward were standing on the other side of one of those windows, watching Scarlett carefully. Her eyes were once again closed, head tipped back against the sofa, chest moving in unnaturally slow movements with each breath. For her dad, brother, and friend, the sight was unsettling, to say the least.

The only saving grace was that Marley had fallen asleep against Edward's chest, her arms wound around his neck, face resting against his shoulder. Every puff of breath against his neck made Edward tighten his grip infinitesimally.

"She looks…" Archie trailed off with a wince. He couldn't even bring himself to say the words.

Edward's face screwed up in a grimace, as he turned away, unable to look at her any longer. His whole body was tense, muscles tight as he fought his anger to stay as calm as possible. For Marley, resting in his arms, Scarlett, and for Rosalie – who'd been next-door with Riley and Kendra Wallace for almost two hours, by then.

The steadily increasing anxiety of the men was at an all-time high, because they were very aware Rosalie's long session meant Scarlett's was getting closer. At this point in time, they weren't sure what to expect from the still, silent Scarlett. Charlie had expected nerves, possible even a panic attack, but in true Scarlett fashion she'd had him perplexed and more than a little nervous with her subdued, seemingly content, demeanor. As much as he hated to see his baby girl upset, it was almost worse to see her this way; sure she must be hiding her true emotions. Surely, she couldn't really be relaxed in the face of her upcoming task?

A few passing minutes found Edward patting the pockets of his cargo shorts with the hand not supporting Marley. Charlie's eyes flicked to him, a slight smirk pulling at the right side of his mouth. "Still haven't given up, huh?"

Edward's eyes gave away his shame as he smiled wryly. "Still trying. It's harder than it looks."

Despite himself, Charlie snorted amusedly. It had been years since he smoked. He'd given up shortly before Penelope and Tina died, at his beloved wife's insistence. She'd announced that he'd have no more kisses from her until she didn't have to taste smoke on his lips, and he'd gone cold turkey that very day. Sure, he'd had relapses, but he'd stuck to his guns and cashed in on the extra kisses it earned him.

However, he could easily recognize the signs of a smoker in need when he saw them, which was why he'd picked up a pack of cigarettes the night before when he'd gone shopping. The look of gratefulness on Edward's face when he spotted the silver packet would have been comical if it weren't for the fact that his fingers wrapping around the pack coincided with the click of the door opening. Rosalie's grief-stricken face was visible for only a second before Scarlett's curls obscured it, her arms looping around her sister as they moved to slump on the sofa in a tangle of hair, entwined limbs, muffled sobs, and Scarlett's murmured words, so quiet that nobody but she and Rosalie could hear them.

Edward's urge to smoke melted away instantly at the sight of the girls' obvious distress, the look on Peter's face when he entered a minute later so murderously angry, so heartbreakingly sad, that he wondered how his friends were all going to get through this intact. So clearly he could remember the determination Charlie, Peter, and Archie, among others, showed every time he visited. Every time he saw them on TV, he saw their fight, their strength, but looking at their solemn faces now? They just seemed lost.

"Oh God," Charlie's voice was a mere, choked whisper. When Edward glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, he came to a sudden realization. _This_ was why Scarlett had been so quiet, so 'relaxed.' She'd been holding herself together for Rosalie. She knew this would happen, predicted her collapse. Suddenly, her behavior made sense in a way it hadn't before.

Edward found himself struggling to comprehend the bond the girls shared, but at the same time, he was so very thankful they'd had it to rely on. Had _each other_ to rely on. To him, an only child of only children, he'd always puzzled at the relationships of siblings and the way they behaved with one another. With Archie, Rosalie, and Scarlett, it was always different. Even as babies, the girls were close on an elemental level, their bond only strengthening as they grew into toddlers, children, teenagers, now adults. To look at them was to see the unbreakable, remarkably tenable connection between the two. Never had Edward seen something so tangible, so heart-rending.

His heart racing, palms clammy, and throat tight, he muttered an apology as he gently laid Marley on the spare sofa, keeping her asleep, and left the room in a few long strides. Somehow, with his mind preoccupied, he still managed to find his way out to the back of the station where Riley planned to have the girls leave later. He fell through the doors with unusual clumsiness for the normally well-balanced young man.

The two agents and single police officer guarding the doors gave Edward room to breathe, respectfully averting their eyes when he doubled over with his hands on his knees, with shallow, huffed breaths pushing themselves from his lips. The image of Scarlett sitting so still and silent haunted his mind so harshly that he found himself fighting back nausea. His stomach rolled, remembering Archie's words. _She looks…_ Nobody had needed him to finish. Both men present knew he'd meant to say 'she looked dead,' and he wouldn't have been wrong.

A maelstrom of emotions tore through Edward's psyche, his mind trying to reconcile the image of the bouncy, curly-haired livewire he once knew, with the somber, mostly-silent young woman who'd pushed everything to the side to be strong for Rosalie. For the young man, the worst thing he could say he'd lived through was the death of his childhood pet, so it was difficult for him to place the emotions currently pulling at him left, right, and center.

Reaching up to turn his cap so the bill was to the back of his head, Edward tugged at his Henley, undoing the top two buttons in an attempt to feel less claustrophobic. _Is this how Scarlett feels when she has a panic attack?_ he wondered, turning to face the opening doors. Peter huffed an angry breath, chest rising and falling heavily.

"Is she okay?" Edward rasped through a tight throat.

"As well as can be expected, I guess." The distressed dad yanked at his hair, scrubbing his face roughly. "God, I hate this! I _hate_ this!"

Before Edward could move to stop him, Peter spun, slamming his fist into the 'smoking area' sign. Thankfully for Peter's hand, the sign was hanging, so it simply cracked and fell to the ground instead of shattering his knuckles, though, as Edward grappled him against the wall he spotted trickles of blood on Peter's pale skin.

"Calm down! _Cazzo_ , do you think Rosalie needs this? Shit, Pete." In all the years Edward had known Peter, he'd never seen him this out of sorts. Especially not enough to hit something. The man's eyes were wide, unseeing for a long moment as Edward held him to the wall with his fists clenched in Peter's polo shirt, pressed against the top of his chest to hold him still. It was easy to see the exact moment the fight drained from his body. Peter's eyes slid shut, his body slumping as a lone tear trickled over his cheek.

"Sorry," he breathed slowly. "I'm sorry, Edward. I can't even…seeing her like that…she's so _broken_. I didn't even realize how much 'til just now."

The anguish Edward saw in Peter's light blue eyes when he re-opened them was enough to make him wince. At twenty-six years old, he had no children, nor was he in any rush to have them, but gazing at Peter's face, he could clearly see the great amount of pain he was in from seeing his daughter upset. In the past two hours, he'd obviously heard things that, as a father, he never thought he'd have to hear. The things Rosalie had seen, been told, how she'd been treated. Having visited as many times as his busy career allowed, Edward had been privy to more than one breakdown, but he could tell this wasn't the same. It was on a completely different scale. Edward couldn't even begin to imagine the pain Peter must have been in after seeing his daughter have to relive her ordeal, considering how hard even he was finding it seeing Scarlett and Rosalie suffer.

A dark head of hair and sad, resigned eyes peeked around the door five minutes later to find Peter and Edward almost at the end of their second cigarettes. Archie gulped, meeting first his uncle's, then his friend's eyes. "Uh, Scarlett's goin' in. Dad told me to come tell you, so…"

"Of course." Peter, now calmer although still fuming, dropped the stick to the ground before stubbing it out and following his nephew, for all intents and purposes, inside. Edward hesitated for a moment, heaving in a deep breath as he stepped through the doors. The silent trio rounded the final corner just in time to see Scarlett entering the room Rosalie recently vacated, Charlie, staring after her with trepidation.

Edward tightened his spine, adjusted his hat firmly, and let his feet carry him into the observation room with Charlie and Archie. He'd agreed only after Archie and Charlie had begged, both of them wanting the reassurance that he'd help calm them if they couldn't handle it.

He was determined to do his best, even if that did mean forcing himself to listen to what would likely be one of the hardest, most gut-wrenching conversations he'd ever have to hear.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**~ oOo ~**

 *****IF YOU HAVEN'T READ LAST WEEK'S UPDATE,  
GO BACK AND READ IT BEFORE THIS ONE, OR  
IT MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE! FF WAS DOWN,  
SO MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY UPDATES.*****

 **Happy Mother's Day to everybody celebrating!  
I hope you're all having a lovely day. I've been  
treated to a lay-in and plenty of hugs and sloppy  
kisses from my spotty fur-kid.**

 **As always, I want to say a huuuuge thank you**  
 **to my dream team,  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding

 **They make me look good, and tidy PP up so that  
it shines. Plus, poor**annaharding **often has to deal  
with my rambling on when I get stuck, usually  
when I've totally forgotten that she's some hours  
behind me. I really do appreciate those nights you  
stay up helping me into the early hours - THANK YOU!**

 **I have tinkered with this chapter a whole lot since  
either of them looked it over, so any and all mistakes  
are completely mine.**

 **And thank you to you all for continuing to read, review,  
and recommend Pinky Promises on your various  
blogs/pages. It truly does mean the world to me!**

 **Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you get to it.  
This chapter is a beastly 8100 words!  
**

 **Biggest c** **hapter yet!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 *****TRIGGER WARNING*****

 **MENTIONS OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE IN THIS**  
 **CHAPTER**

 *****ALSO, TISSUE WARNING*****

 **FOR THE SAME REASON AS ABOVE**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty**

Leaning over the rubbish bin, Edward emptied his stomach of the breakfast he managed to eat earlier that morning, all the while replaying snippets of the two-hour-talk he'd just been subjected to on a loop.

Riley had asked Scarlett if she understood that she needed to tell the truth and give as much detail as she could, and that's when the torture had begun.

" _Dad and Uncle Pete let us walk home by ourselves that day because the twins were sick and Archie was at school late for football practice. We'd done it lots of times before, but usually, we were with friends who lived down the street. They were at the dentist though, so it was just us – just me and Rosalie. We didn't hear the van coming, but then they grabbed us and stopped us from screaming."_

" _How did they stop you screaming, Scarlett?"_

" _They held us really tight and put their hands over our mouths. Garrett grabbed me, and another guy took Rosalie."_

She'd described the other man with a dull look on her face, only speaking again when Riley prompted her by asking what had happened in the van.

" _I think he drugged us. He put these towels over our mouths…they smelled, weird? I don't know how to describe it. Like cleaning fluid, maybe? But not as strong. It made us sleep. We didn't wake up until we were at the ranch. So, I guess, we must have slept a really long time, to get to another country without waking up."_

Scarlett had needed a few minutes then to regroup, her eyes having gone cloudy with memories. It was worse when she started talking again in the same monotone voice. She looked detached. It was unnerving.

" _Do you know how you got from England to America, Scarlett?" Riley asked. He had theories that he'd shared with the families as much as possible, but it was still high on the list of things the FBI wanted to ascertain._

" _Umm, I'm not sure. I know G-Garrett has a helicopter, so maybe he used that? I don't know…I don't know how far that flies. He always made a point of mentioning how many contacts he had, so I'd guess somebody helped him."_

 _Riley nodded, murmuring that he'd figured as much. "All right. What happened when you got to the ranch?"_

" _When I woke up, I was in the study on my own. I didn't know where Rosalie was until after Garrett had told me what we had to do. He, um, he said we had to pretend he and his wife were our parents, and that we were twins. He didn't want people to ask questions about why we looked so similar in age, I guess."_

Charlie had almost lost it when he'd heard his daughter had been forced to call Garrett Smith 'Dad' to keep up the act. For the second time in a short while, Edward had calmed a raging father, only this time he had Archie's help, too.

" _I tried to comfort Rosalie as much as I could," she'd paused, looking up towards the window. She was aware her dad was behind it, though she didn't know Archie and Edward were there, too. "I tried to be strong, like my dad always told us. We both did – we both tried to be brave. But we were terrified. We kept waiting for somebody to come and get us, so we didn't eat the food or water someone kept putting inside the door while we were sleeping. I suppose whatever drugs they'd used for the trip probably didn't help. We were both sick a lot, those first few days. And then, nobody came. Nobody came to rescue us, and we had to figure out how to survive."_

Edward's body shuddered with the sound of Scarlett's choked sobs fresh in his mind. It was the only sound she'd made belying her true emotions in the entire two hours. The rest of her recount had been relayed in a frighteningly numb tone, eyes murky like the English Channel, body rigid against the back of the armchair. Hearing how she and Rosalie had denied themselves food or water for two whole days because they were waiting for someone to save them had torn everyone to shreds. Charlie had slumped against the far wall in desolation, guilt, and pain for his daughter and niece like a punch to the gut. Archie's reaction was similar. The image of eight-year-old Scarlett and Rosalie curled up together on a bed in a strange country, the remnants of some kind of sedatives in their systems, was devastating.

The group – Edward, Archie, Charlie, and the police officer – listened with morbid, horrified fascination as Scarlett detailed the first couple of years of their time in Montana. Archie growled as she blankly explained the incident that led to her first visit to the study. Edward's stomach heaved harshly as he recalled her words.

" _It was stupid, really. Me and Rosalie were in the kitchen, and Garrett came in, wanting some coffee. He told Rosalie to make it, but she didn't have the hang of the machine yet so I figured I'd do it. I thought he'd be angrier if she did it wrong than if I just did it myself. But he was_ so _, so mad when he realized I'd done it. He pulled me by my arm…" Scarlett reached up, demonstrating the hold he'd had on her upper arm, squeezing hard as she remembered, as she felt the phantom grip of his hand around her. "He pulled me to the study and sent Rosalie to our room."_

" _What happened in the study, Scarlett?"_

" _He hit me." Shaking badly, she held her hands out, palms up. "Here. He hit me here. With a wooden ruler." Inhaling a deep breath, she winced, adding, "and he stamped on my f-foot in his steel toe cap boots. He did that a lot, actually. I think it's because it was easily explained, like, I could just say I'd twisted it or something. It was easy to hide. He said that if he ever caught me doing things he'd asked Rosalie to do again, it would be a much worse punishment."_

It hadn't just been Archie and Charlie who'd needed restraining when Riley forced himself to ask, through gritted teeth, if that had been the only time he'd hurt her – Scarlett's answer had been to scoff and reply 'no, that was just the first of many times.' The officer in the room was more observant than the three men had thought, calling for backup while they were distracted by Scarlett talking, so when they tried to burst from the room to end the session, they'd been met with Riley's two large guards on the other side of the door. The pair formed an unbreakable resistance with their combined strength and had corralled Charlie, Archie, and Edward back into the observation room swiftly, extracting their agreement that if listening became too much, they would have to leave under escort. Unbeknownst to her dad, brother, and friend, Scarlett had made Riley promise not to let them intervene. The only way she'd be leaving the room early was if she couldn't handle it, or if Marley desperately needed her. So far, she'd been utilizing her ability to numb herself and was coping.

" _Please tell us about your day-to-day routine, Scarlett."_

" _Umm, well after we woke up and got dressed, we would always have to go downstairs and make breakfast for everybody. Sometimes we were told what to make, but most of the time we had to just choose and hope we wouldn't get told off."_

" _Who told you off, Scarlett?"_

" _G-Garrett. Garrett told us off if we chose wrong."_

" _All right. After breakfast…"_

" _We'd clean up the kitchen and all the plates, cutlery, whatever we'd used, basically. Then we had our chores to do."_

" _Okay. What sort of chores?"_

" _Household stuff, mainly. Laundry, cleaning, mending clothes if any of the guys had torn their work shirts or trousers. Umm, we got to help in the stables sometimes. Just brushing the horses or cleaning the stalls and tack."_

" _So, you were allowed in the barn? Did you ever venture further away than that?"_

 _Scarlett shuddered. "Once. Not on purpose. Marley wandered off looking for the horses in the paddock, so we went after her. And we never tried again. Garrett caught us on one of the cameras around the ranch and h-he wasn't ha-happy." Knowing Riley would ask what had happened, Scarlett sucked in a deep breath and continued without him having to prompt her. "He took me to his study, and made me repeat the same phrase over and over. He…he hit me. On my back, with his belt. And he hit my leg, too, but that was with his ha-hand."_

 _It's odd, where a person's mind can wander when they're trying not to think about what is happening to them. When they're trying to ignore the bite of leather against their skin, the sting of a calloused palm on their leg. Over and over and over, a mind can switch off to the pain while remembering the happiness of a previous life. Of a life left behind._

 _Well, not left behind. Stolen._

 _Scarlett coughed. "He made me say 'this is home, and I love my home.'"_

The door of the bathroom clicking open caught Edward's attention; he turned his head with a grimace. Archie looked as wretched as he felt, fists tight in his mop of dark hair, eyes red-rimmed with the pain of hearing how his little sisters had suffered. Neither man knew what to say in the face of such agonizing truth. Of course, they'd known it would be hard, listening to Scarlett's in-depth recount of the past twelve years, but they hadn't factored in how it would be to hear the words fall from her lips, hear the numb voice Rosalie had come to know so well.

The only very slight upside to the longer sessions by both girls was that they'd probably only need three days, instead of the expected four. Scarlett had originally planned to try and get her entire statement out in one go, but she'd found herself struggling when she neared Marley's conception. She couldn't stand being unable to see her daughter, and so had cut the session short. It frustrated her, but she couldn't quell the voice in the back of her head that she needed Marley, needed to feel her warmth and see her sweet smile.

"Scarlett with Rosalie?" Edward asked. His voice was raspy, so he moved to the sink to wash his mouth out with water.

"Ye—" Archie coughed to clear his throat, then tried again. "Yeah. Dad and Pete are with Riley. Marley woke up, but she's okay playing with that dollhouse."

Mouth now thoroughly rinsed, Edward turned to lean against the counter while shifting his hat from hand to hand. Archie scowled at the floor, eyes filled with tears. "You okay, man?" He nodded at the bin.

Edward's ears tinted red with embarrassment at being caught throwing up. "Milk in the coffee didn't agree with me."

Both men knew it wasn't the milk turning their stomachs, but neither would say it. They'd keep hold of some pride, at least.

 **~ oOo ~**

Her insides torn to pieces by the day's events, Rosalie cried soundlessly into Scarlett's hoodie-clad shoulder. The pair wrapped their arms around each other, as though afraid if they loosened their grip they would be swept away. The salty taste of tears was strong on the lips of both girls as they tried to pull themselves together, to no avail.

Having had a couple of hours to compose herself as much as possible, Rosalie managed to keep some of her strength, whereas Scarlett, fresh from recounting the first years of the worst twelve of her life, fought flashbacks and panic attacks, her mind flushed with long-buried memories. For a long time, she hadn't had to think about her first two or three years on the ranch. Hadn't had to recall that awful first assault or the way Garrett Smith had spat his threats warning her that if the ranch hands found out where she and Rosalie had come from, he would harm their families.

As soon as the days passed, Scarlett pushed them from her mind in an attempt to protect herself. Now, those actions were coming back to bite her as she had to sift through memory upon memory of spirit-breaking hit after hit, curse after curse. Logically, she understood the authorities needed to know which laws had been broken. However, knowing it, and liking it, were two very different things.

Finding herself crushed at the thought of returning to the station tomorrow, Scarlett had to jam her lips shut to stop herself from begging Charlie not to make her. She knew he'd do it, which was why she refused to ask. Though the idea of the grueling days ahead terrified her, the idea of Garrett Smith walking free because she couldn't be brave enough to give a statement was abhorrent. As miserable as she was, Scarlett couldn't bring herself to plead, knowing the effects it would have. Not to mention the fact that Rosalie would be facing the same ordeal and would likely need her, just as she had earlier.

"Sc-Scarlett?" Rosalie whispered, throat clogged with tears.

Scarlett's responding nod was jerky.

"W-will you, say your thing?"

Without her having to go into further detail, Scarlett knew exactly what she meant. She inhaled a deep but shaky breath, pulling back a little to clasp her sister's face in her small, trembling hands. "It's all right, Rosalie, you're okay. You're with me, and you're just fine. We're going home to help with lunch, then we're going to spend some time with our family before we go to sleep. We're _safe_. You hear me, Rosalie?"

The words were slightly different, of course, but similar to those Scarlett had spoken to Rosalie what felt like a lifetime ago, that cold January day in Montana – the day everything began to change. It was the day the girls were told about the two new ranch hands, Paul and Lola. Of course, the girls hadn't known then that those two new arrivals were the catalyst to their escape. How could they? Only now that they were home had they been told Paul and Lola's real identities. They were two of the FBI's finest, most well-respected, and talented agents. Though it was close to five months since that chilly day, Scarlett and Rosalie felt as though it had been forever. The symbolism of the words Rosalie asked Scarlett to speak wasn't lost on either of them.

"I…I hear you, Scarlett." Rosalie's lips moved into the shakiest of smiles, the confidence she felt swirling in her stomach courtesy of the determination she could see in her sister's ocean-like eyes.

 **~ oOo ~**

Hours later, the entire clan – Charlie, Peter, the girls, Edward, Archie, Heidi, Pippa, Carl-Roman, Chase, and Marley – watched the TV. The six o'clock news had an entire segment on the girls' disappearance and rescue, showing snippets of the conference back in March of 2004. They also showed images of Southern Road cordoned off, as it had been for days after the abduction, and the red van the police later discovered burnt out on an industrial estate. Then, they showed images from earlier that day, of the group arriving at, and leaving, the police station. As the presenter spoke about stats and figures relating to other kidnapping cases, they watched themselves hurrying from the cars back into their houses after the station visit.

From his spot in the window seat, Marley happily ensconced in his lap playing quietly with Mr. Eddie, Edward's eyes flickered routinely between everybody's face, finally landing on Scarlett's. She looked exceptionally pale in the almost-blue light of the TV. Two, large round eyes rimmed with red stared unseeingly at the screen as the broadcaster detailed what they assumed her life had been like, leaving out the twelve-year gap of which they currently had no knowledge.

That was all about to change, though, because the girls had given Riley permission to share the bare minimum to spread the word that Garrett Smith was out there and dangerous. He gave them the option to opt out of giving details, but with the knowledge that the search was already at another standstill, they'd decided unanimously to get it over with. Everyone was aware, no matter how much they hated it, that sooner or later people were going to find out what went on in the time since their abduction. It was inevitable, so if sharing some details now helped the case, helped them to find Garrett Smith, Scarlett and Rosalie were keen to get it over with.

The only thing Scarlett had put her foot down on, was Marley. She was adamant that her existence not be mentioned. It was enough that she was being thrust into the spotlight alongside her mother and auntie, without having the press hone in on her, and where she'd come from.

Riley had agreed, and they were all doing their best to keep Marley away from the windows as much as possible. Edward had drawn the curtains when he took her to sit on the window seat, and she'd been happy enough just being with him to not mention it.

The group watched as Riley strolled out of the police station flanked by Rodriguez and his other, equally enormous and intimidating, agent – Frederickson – to the pre-erected podium. A cluster of microphones had been arranged almost like a bunch of flowers at the top, so the gathered news outlets could hear what he was saying.

Silence befell the living room, everyone seeming to take in a breath and hold it as Riley cleared his throat and introduced himself.

" _I am here on behalf of Isabella Swan and Rosalie Hale, the girls who were abducted in February two-thousand-four, and who have now been reunited with their families and friends. They have asked me tp express their gratitude to all those involved in the search and in supporting their loved ones throughout their ordeal. I am also here to ask that you are on the look-out for the man responsible for their abduction and subsequent captivity."_ He then paused with a hard blink, which the girls knew was their cue to look away. _"Garrett Smith. He's fifty-five years old with gray-brown hair, standing at around six-feet tall with hazel eyes."_

Everyone watching could see the way Riley's entire body tensed in preparation for imparting some of his newly-acquired knowledge to the world, and his voice was cold as ice when he began. _"Isabella Swan and Rosalie Hale were taken by force in a van, before being flown to the USA where they were held captive, physically and emotionally abused over a series of twelve years. Through sheer bravery, they managed to escape and find help. Garrett Smith is an extremely dangerous man, and I beg you not to approach if you see him. Call the number below, or contact your nearest police department. I assure you, we're doing everything possible to keep you all safe from this man."_

Edward's eyes caught the girls quivering against each other on the sofa as Riley described their tormentor, warning the public against approaching. His nervous stomach rolled when a picture of Garrett Smith appeared on-screen alongside Riley, who moved on to request privacy for the girls and their families in this stressful, but relief-filled, time.

As soon as the segment was over, Charlie switched the TV off, hovering in the doorway, unsure as to what he should do. His entire body burned with hatred for the man whose face had just filled half of his TV screen, the mere sight of him enough to ignite his ire.

Edward eyed him, seeing he was about to erupt, and gestured to Archie. His friend quickly ushered him into the kitchen, where Charlie yanked at the top buttons of his black shirt. He used too much force, sending one flying through the air before bouncing off the wall and resting on the tiled floor. Calloused hands tugged at scruffy blond curls in an angry attempt to feel something other than complete despair or anger.

"How do I help her, Arch? How do we help both of them?"

The image of Scarlett and Rosalie tucking their faces into each other's necks to stop themselves from seeing the vile face on the screen danced in Archie's mind as he grimaced. He hated that he didn't know what to do with himself, but knew he needed to step up and do _something_ to stop this family from collapsing.

Two little eight-year-olds pranced about in fairy dresses with ribbons in their lopsided pigtails, gap-toothed grins and cheeky, mischievous eyes. His memory caught all the details in high definition despite the passing of twelve years. Like a gauzy layer of film, the images of Scarlett and Rosalie as they are _now_ blanketed the old memories. They smothered them until all Archie could picture was the numbing cloak Scarlett had worn to protect herself, and Rosalie's soaked cheeks as she cried for the chance to live the normal life she and her sister had snatched from them.

He didn't know what to do, but he'd try everything in his power to make this family whole again.

 **~ oOo ~**

The second day of statements was worse.

They'd gotten to the time of Marley's conception. Despite having already explained it to Megan back at the safe house, Scarlett had to put it in writing as part of her statement. With Edward and Charlie watching from the observation room, Archie taking care of Carl-Roman at home as he'd fallen ill with a tummy bug overnight, Scarlett had described Marcus Lucien in vivid detail, his actions, and the little information she knew about his background. Charlie had cried when he watched her frown as she remembered the day she'd discovered she was pregnant, just fifteen years old and forced to watch as Garrett Smith made an example of Marcus, shooting him right in front of her, Rosalie, and the rest of the ranch hands.

" _When I was pregnant…he just ignored me. He didn't take me to his study or anything, just pretended I wasn't there. Except for one day near the end, he…he said 'you disgust me.' That was it. He didn't speak to me again until after Marley was born."_

" _He wouldn't let me have any medicine or go to a doctor. I was so scared something was wrong with Marley. She didn't move very much for about a week before I had her, but nothing me or Rosalie said made any difference. Neither of us had any idea what to do, literally no idea. The guys brought us back some baby supplies after their last supply run, including some books. They were mostly pregnancy related, but one of them had a small section about the actual labor. We just had to wing it, basically. The book didn't cover everything, but without it I honestly don't know what would have happened to me and Marley. Rosalie had to help me breathe and encourage me to push, like the book said, and then she had to check for the umbilical cord round her neck and remember to cut the cord. The placenta…" Scarlett winced. "We buried it outside. Garrett wouldn't help us, and we just didn't know what else to do with it, so we buried it behind the house."_

" _When Marley was born, she was so, so tiny."_

A nostalgic look had crossed Scarlett's face then, the smallest of smiles on her lips. She both loved and hated remembering those early days with Marley. She'd been so terrified her baby was sick, or too small. Absolutely scared witless that she wouldn't be enough, that she couldn't be a good mother because of their situation and her age.

But she'd risen to the occasion, and had settled into motherhood slowly. As baby Marley had grown, so had Scarlett's confidence in her abilities to take care of her. After all, she'd been mothering Rosalie all their lives.

" _When she was about six weeks old, she smiled at me for the first time. I don't even know why, I was just talking to her by the fire, and she gave me this proper smile. Not like a gassy one. A proper, real smile. Because she wanted to and not just out of reflex."_

Nobody had missed the way her hands twitched in her lap, towards her stomach. It wasn't visible in the large hoodie she was wearing, but a tiny bump had become apparent, the baby within growing steadily.

" _I think it was that day I realized how lucky I was that we both made it without any real complications."_

She'd moved onto the next couple of years, and despite everyone's curiosity regarding the paternity of her unborn baby, no one had dared interfere. She'd get there eventually.

" _Did you ever see Garrett doing anything illegal, Scarlett? Aside from your abuse and your abduction, and Marcus Lucien's murder."_

 _Scarlett winced at the mention of Marley's biological father, then thought hard about Riley's question, her brows furrowed. "I don't…Umm, I don't think so. He was very private. He kept everything in his office, and to be honest, when he was on the ranch he spent pretty much all of his time in there, too. All his phone calls were taken in his study, and he never had visitors."_

" _Did you ever see any mail arrive at the ranch? Take any phone calls?"_

" _No, never. The only phone was in his study. Some of the guys – the ranch hands – had their own phones, though. I did overhear some stuff, though. Not often, and it was mostly back when Marley was a newborn. When I'd go down to prepare her bottles, sometimes he would be talking loud enough that I could hear him."_

 _It had been impossible to miss the excitement in Riley's eyes as he leaned forward in his chair, pen poised over the pad in his lap. "What sort of things would he talk about? As much detail as possible, please."_

" _Umm, mostly about transport? It always sounded weird to me, because he was so secretive about it. At first I thought he meant moving guys around to work in different places, but the guys on the ranch where we were just drove in trucks. The people he was talking about, he said they had to stay invisible. One time, I heard him tell somebody that he needed to get a bunch of new papers made quickly. Oh! And he used to get really miserable and extra angry, and when he did he always used to mumble things about deliveries that had gone wrong, people that had messed up and gotten pinched, that sort of thing. I have no idea what any of it means, so I don't know if that helps?"_

Of course, having had TV and fictional books removed from her life at such a young age, she hadn't had the chance to learn these terms as other children and teenagers would from programs like _CSI_ or _Criminal Minds_. A term like 'pinched' would mean little to somebody who'd never heard it used in reference to an arrest.

" _That's perfect. Well done, Scarlett. You're doing great. Now, can you remember anything else that he said? Anything at all?"_

" _I can't really remember much from then, sorry. The guys might have heard more, though. I mean, we used to spend as much time as possible up in our room, so…Yeah. You might have better luck with the others."_

" _Okay. You've done amazingly well, so thank you." Riley consulted the list on his notepad, then asked, "what about Garrett Smith's wife? Uh, Chloe Smith. You've mentioned her a few times. Did she live on the ranch with you?"_

" _No, not at all. She hated the ranch and didn't hide it. She came out, maybe, once or twice a month? That was it. They didn't share a room, and apart from when he'd flaunt her in front of the guys to try and make them jealous, they didn't spend any time together."_

" _All right. Do you know where she went when she wasn't on the ranch?"_

" _No, sorry." Scarlett grimaced. "She didn't talk to us if she could help it. The only time she ever acknowledged our existence was to yell at us if she had something to complain about."_

" _Okay, that's fine. Do you know where she was when the ranch burnt down?"_

" _Umm, actually just before she left the last time, a week or two before the fire, she mentioned a trip to New York. She was going with friends, I think she said. I only remember because they fought about it. Garrett and Chloe," she clarified when Riley asked who had fought, just for the record. "He was angry that she said she wanted to stay there for a few months. It was somebody's wedding, and Chloe was a bridesmaid. They only stopped arguing when Chloe stormed off to her room. She left the next evening."_

On and on it went. Question after question, dredging up horrid memory after horrid memory.

The day passed slowly, with Scarlett wanting to get as far as possible in her recount before going home. If she and Rosalie continued as they were, they would only be needed for one more day before they reached the end of their captivity, catching up to their rescue.

They had spent the rest of their day at Charlie's, sitting in the garden to soak up some much-needed vitamin D, the sun making a welcome appearance. Marley very much enjoyed her time playing on Carl-Roman's slide, once Edward and Charlie showed her what she needed to do. She'd delighted her mother by repeatedly calling her 'Mommy,' to show off her new skill, and had even braved her Pawpaw's lap for the first time. He'd worked hard on being friendly and approachable since frightening her by fainting back at the medical center in Montana, and it had finally paid off.

Edward had made sure to snap plenty of photos of the grandfather and his only granddaughter smiling at each other, Marley content on his knee as he showed her videos of dogs on his phone. She'd become a little obsessed with any kind of dog video, so he was only too happy to indulge her.

Dinner had been a quiet affair, but everyone was pleased to see Scarlett and Rosalie eating the macaroni and cheese with home baked bread they had prepared.

By the time they'd fallen into bed, they were all exhausted, but had woken early once more for their third, and hopefully final, day of statements.

As he brushed Marley's hair and promised to take her to the park one day, Edward forced himself to sound cheerful despite the memory of Scarlett's last statement. She'd managed to finish her recount of the final few years on the ranch in one, two-and-a-half-hour session that morning, collapsing into Edward's arms as she stumbled from the interview room.

" _Scarlett, I know we've discussed your pregnancy with Marley, but is it okay if we discuss this pregnancy, now?" Riley had asked, looking every bit like a man being led to slaughter. He no more wanted to discuss it than Charlie and Edward wanted to hear about it._

 _Scarlett had gulped visibly. "S-sure."_

" _All right, we'll take it slowly. Do you know the man involved? His name, or where he came from?"_

" _Paul. His name is Paul."_

" _All right. Do you happen to know a surname? Don't worry if not, Scarlett, it'd just be easier if—"_

" _Lucien. His name is Paul Lucien." As Riley and Kendra gasped, confused, and Charlie and Edward froze on the other side of the glass, Scarlett covered her face with her hands and sighed hard. "He's Marcus' brother. I didn't know at first, but before he left he admitted he'd only come looking for his brother, but he was glad he hadn't found him."_

" _Right. Ah, so, um…" Riley had been visibly flustered, so he'd taken a few seconds to compose himself before asking, "he left, you said?"_

" _Yes. He was only on the ranch for a few weeks, maximum." She'd huffed, uncovering her face to peer at Riley with what looked like apology blanketing her features. "It was the most stupid thing I've ever done. I don't even know_ why _I did it, to be honest. Rosalie and Marley were asleep, and I was just, so down, you know? I'd been really struggling. Marley had just had the flu, so I was tired and stressed…I found a bottle of whisky or something in the barn. I don't know what made me drink it because I_ knew _it was nasty and would make me feel worse, but I guess I just wanted to feel_ something _. It doesn't even make sense to me, but I wanted to not feel so numb, you know? I was stupid. I thought it would help. So I was drinking it for a while in the barn just watching the horses in their stalls, when he came in."_

" _By 'he,' you mean…?"_

 _Scarlett whispered Paul's name, swallowing before continuing. "He'd always been a bit, aloof? I think that's the right word. He was nice though, polite at meal times and pretty quiet. He kept to himself, except for when he would ask these questions."_

" _What sort of questions?"_

" _Who worked there, when, why, that sort of thing. He asked if many people came and then left. It wasn't until Paul was leaving and admitted he'd come looking for Marcus that it clicked. He was trying to figure out where Marcus was, if he'd been there at all and when he'd left. I don't know why though. Marcus never mentioned a brother the whole time he was at the ranch, and Paul didn't either until the end."_

" _Okay, so he was looking for Marcus. Did you admit what had happened?"_

" _No. I just said he sounded like somebody who'd come for a few weeks, but had left a month before. He didn't seem suspicious, and then a few days after we…after we had sex, he left and didn't come back. I never talked to anybody except Rosalie about the things he asked. He did the same with her, but we didn't know if that's just because he believed we were Garrett's daughters. I have no idea if he asked the other guys the same things, or Garrett."_

Edward was pulled from his memories by Marley tugging his t-shirt. He gazed down at her, smiling at the way her eyes were sliding shut, and at the yawn that stretched her mouth wide open.

"Bedtime for you, little sweet," he cooed, brushing a single loose strand of hair away from her eyes.

She nodded, winding her arms around his neck as he stood and carried her through to the kitchen. Charlie, Peter, and Archie were still up, the latter having put his boys to bed in their room upstairs some time ago. Marley had forced herself to remain awake to be able to snuggle on Edward's lap for longer, but at almost ten p.m., she couldn't put it off any longer, and had begun to doze on his knee.

"Bedtime?" Charlie asked, hesitating for a moment before extending his arms to Marley. To his surprise and delight, she went to him willingly, cuddling into his chest before placing a quick kiss to his beard-covered cheek and scrambling down to give Peter and Archie the same treatment. She'd warmed up to them all, but Edward was still her favorite by far. It was him she returned to; all but climbing his legs until he took pity and scooped her up, baby-style. She didn't seem to care, and huddled as close as she could get, Mr. Eddie clutched tight to her chest.

"Night, Marley," the trio of men around the table murmured, tired smiles all round as they watched Edward leave the room with her, trudging up the stairs carefully to avoid waking anyone. Scarlett and Rosalie had given him permission to creep in with Marley when she finally passed out, so even though he felt uncomfortable invading their privacy, Edward toed open the door and crept inside. At first glance, they appeared to both be fast asleep. Only when Edward rounded the bed to Scarlett's side, where a Marley-sized gap awaited her, did he realize he was wrong.

"Hey," Scarlett whispered, a smile on her lips as she took in the sight of Edward, such a large, muscular man, cradling her tiny baby girl.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered back, kneeling to tuck Marley in as Scarlett lifted the duvet. "She's sparko, should sleep right through for you. She was out like a light once she finally gave in."

Scarlett was thankful for the darkness, as it meant Edward wouldn't see the flush rising in her cheeks as a result of his cheeky wink. "Thank you. I really do appreciate you helping with her."

"Ah, she's no trouble. I love the little sweetheart already."

Scarlett's stomach did a little flip as she admitted, "she loves you, too. She's so comfortable with you. She's not like that with anybody except me and Rosalie."

Edward himself felt the tinge of pink on the tips of his ears. "She's a sweet kid; she must just have good taste."

"Definitely."

The pair stared at one another for a minute, until Marley shifted between them, making a soft purring sound as she twisted towards her mother, mumbling 'Mommy' in her sleep.

Scarlett's face lit up with the force of her smile. Edward couldn't help but mirror it.

"All right, I'll leave you to sleep." He couldn't resist reaching out to gently tap Marley's chin one last time for the day, murmuring 'goodnight' as he turned to leave.

Both of their smiles turned to ear-to-ear grins when, quietly but still loud enough for them to hear, Marley mumbled 'Ed-wood' before making like the bunny in her arms and burrowing down into the covers.

 **~ oOo ~**

Beams of sunlight peeking through the blinds were the first thing to seep into Archie's consciousness, his eyes squeezing shut against the bright light as he reached up to rub the sleep away. He blinked blearily a few times, finally focusing on the shape of his six-year-old curled up in the space beside him where Kristen should have been.

Carl-Roman's spaceman, pajama-clad butt was sticking up in the air, the side of his face smashed into the pillow while he somehow managed to keep his thumb in his mouth without choking himself. Chuckling sleepily, Archie reached out to tug his sleeping little boy against his chest. Carl-Roman mumbled something about 'choc'late hoops' and 'Auntie Rose,' snuggling into his dad's t-shirt covered torso without waking. Archie took the next few minutes to sort out his still-half-asleep mind.

 _Oh. It's my birthday_ , he realized with a sudden bolt of clarity. His lips pulled upwards into a slight smile, his chest lighter than it had been for the last four days, though his good mood took a small dip when he recalled the pain his family had endured over the past week.

As predicted, the girls' statements had only taken three days, their determination to get it done as soon as possible aiding the gruesome task.

Yesterday – Saturday – the entire Swan-Hale clan, with the addition of Edward, had spent the day doing their best to unwind. Archie had introduced Kristen to his sisters for the first time, with the help of his sons who were both overjoyed to have their mum back after an extended work trip. By the time Archie, Kristen, Carl-Roman, and Chase had left, it was dark outside, and Scarlett, Rosalie, and Marley had gone to bed, exhausted by their efforts and the intensity of the past three days.

Waking up now, at what was obviously still a fairly early hour on his birthday Sunday, Archie decided there was nothing he wanted to do more than spend the day with his family around him. His _whole_ family, for the first time in over a decade.

Rising carefully to avoid waking Carl-Roman, Archie stretched out and glanced at the clock on the dresser. _7:48a.m._ Remembering Kristen's promise of breakfast in bed, he quickly made his way to the bathroom before heading downstairs to halt her. He'd rather wait and eat at his dad's if she hadn't already started.

Instead of the smell of cooking food he expected, all Archie could detect when he got to the bottom of the stairs was the faint remnants of her perfume lingering in the hallway. His eyes fell instinctively to the coat hooks near the door – hers was missing. A quick glance at the table nearby revealed the lack of her work bag, too, and Archie's stomach free-fell to his feet as they carried him with far less enthusiasm than before to the kitchen. He immediately spotted a note stuck to the bag of bread on the counter. His mood plummeted when he read the simple, seven-word note she'd left.

 _Called into work early. See you later. K x_

"That's it?" Archie huffed, anger taking the place of his confusion. "That's _fucking_ it?"

"What's it, Daddy?" Carl-Roman's innocent, sleepy voice stopped Archie's rage in its tracks, his half-smile tugging at his dad's heartstrings when he twisted to see him in the doorway.

"Nothin', champ. C'mere."

Grinning widely, Carl-Roman flew into Archie's open arms, planting a loud, sloppy kiss on his cheek before pulling back to smile even wider. "It's your birthday, Daddy! I gots you a present, but Pawpaw's looking after it for me 'til we go there. Daddy, can we go Pawpaw's house now? Before breakfast?"

Eyeing the note stuck to the bread, then his excited and adorable son, Archie decided he wasn't going to let anything ruin this day. With that decision made, he grinned and leaned forwards to Eskimo kiss his son. "Of course, champ. You go get dressed, I'll get Chase, then we'll go."

Still feeling a sting of hurt that Kristen hadn't even wished him a 'happy birthday', Archie leaned in to whisper, "you can even have extra chocolate hoops as it's my birthday. Don't tell Mummy."

The little boy's answering cheer was more than enough to straighten out his dad's dark mood.

When Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase arrived at Charlie's a half-hour later the birthday boy's temperament was impeded slightly by the presence of the journalists still camping outside his dad's house. But they were, for the most part, respectful, so he ignored them and found himself astonished when he spotted the 'Birthday Boy' banners in the bay window. Carl-Roman pointed out the 'Happy Birthday!' sign over the front door as he tugged Archie up the path by the hand not carrying Chase in his car seat. His young son was elated, bouncing up and down.

As soon as they stepped through the door, Archie grinned, because he recognized the song playing, and if his dad were any sort of reliable, it would be the exact same CD he'd put together as a teenager and played religiously throughout his entire fourteenth birthday. It had become a bit of a joke since then, and Charlie had played it throughout his fifteenth and sixteenth birthday as a throwback. Songs that had been popular back then weren't so much now, so as he paused to listen to the music, it was an odd contrast to the songs they'd listened to in the car on the way across Eastbourne.

Carl-Roman blew Archie's cover. He was far too excited about what he saw as his dad's first birthday party to stand in the hall and wait. He darted off into the kitchen, attaching himself like a limpet to Scarlett's legs. Blue-green eyes met mini versions of themselves as she looked down at her nephew in bewilderment.

"I didn't hear you come in, little man."

He laughed, tugging at her t-shirt until she bent to perch him on her hip, ignoring the looks of gentle reproach for doing so. She'd heard the 'you shouldn't be lifting' lecture a few times and would ignore it on every occasion. There wasn't a thing in the world that would stop her giving her nephew or Marley cuddles.

"That's 'cause I was quiet, Auntie Scarlett."

"Where's your dad and Chase, then? Did you forget to bring them?"

"No, silly! He's out there!" Pointing a little fist towards the hallway, Carl-Roman suddenly began giggling like crazy, Rosalie's fingers digging into his sides playfully. "Hey! Stop, stop! That _tickles_ , Auntie Rosalie!"

Scarlett smiled as her eyes met Rosalie's over their shared joy – their namesake. The past few days had been horrendous, heart-breaking; some of the most painful days of her life, and yet Scarlett had never felt so purged. She'd never felt freer than she did at that moment, gazing at her gorgeous little nephew and her ever-supportive best friend alternately. She had a long way to go, of course. She and Rosalie wouldn't be magically healed, but they'd taken a tentative step towards their happily ever after.

Archie appeared in the doorway in time to see his sisters cooing over his eldest, now calm but grinning widely at his aunties. Charlie, Peter, Edward, and Marley were sitting at the table, watching the trio with smiles on their faces, but Archie bypassed them. The men found themselves battling back tears as they watched Archie set down Chase's seat, and engulf the girls, and his boy, in a bear hug. Their sniffled, synchronized 'Happy birthday, Arch' didn't stand a chance of reaching them over the sound of Carl-Roman's happy squeals.

"Christ, it's so good to see you," Archie murmured into Rosalie's hair, pressing a kiss to her head before giving Scarlett the same treatment and pulling back enough to see their faces. Understanding, sadness, and happiness were the three most predominant emotions, their joy bright in their eyes as they peered up at their brother.

"You just saw them yesterday, Daddy!" Carl-Roman frowned.

Archie, Scarlett, and Rosalie snickered. "I know, but this is the first birthday in _ages_ that Daddy gets to see all his sisters."

The little boy accepted his dad's explanation, shuffling down to his feet so he could dive across the room to his Pawpaw's lap, where he insisted he and Marley be allowed to 'guard' the large chocolate cake in the center of the table. Archie watched the proceedings with one arm around each of the girls, as his dad tickled Carl-Roman until he pleaded for mercy and scrambled under the table before climbing into Edward's lap, where he and Marley grinned happily at one another. The children had accidentally been dressed almost identically - both sporting denim jackets and shorts, with blue t-shirts underneath. The huff-scowl combo Carl-Roman shot his Pawpaw across the table was both petulant and playful.

"All right, champ, how about you run next door and get Auntie Pip and Heidi for me? Think you can manage that?"

Keen to be a 'big boy,' Carl-Roman leaped from Edward's lap, little legs pumping furiously as he dashed out of the French doors, through the garden, beneath the broken fence panel, and into Peter's house. Knowing Pippa and Heidi were in the kitchen wrapping the rest of the food to bring over, Charlie felt confident letting Carl-Roman head over alone.

While they waited for Carl-Roman, Pippa, and Heidi to join them, Peter stood to hug Archie and wish him a happy birthday, laughingly reminding the young man that he was well on his way to thirty at twenty-nine years old.

"Yeah, yeah, old man. Just you wait. How old are you in a few weeks?" Archie's teasing reminder of his upcoming fiftieth birthday brought a boyish scowl to Peter's face, though his eyes belied the joy that this year, he'd have his whole family there to celebrate with him.

"All right, all right, let's leave it at that, shall we?" Rosalie and Scarlett giggled from Archie's back, the four men in the room masking their smiles at the sound. While they'd expected the girls to be worse than usual in the days following their statements, Scarlett and Rosalie had gone the other way. While it was clear they were hurting, it was also obvious they were fighting their fear, fighting to enjoy Archie's birthday for the first time in twelve years. And why shouldn't they? It had been a long time coming, and if anybody deserved to have a day of trying to forget the past to enjoy the present, it was Scarlett and Rosalie. Their own birthdays had gone uncelebrated on the ranch, so they were cramming twelve years of birthday parties into this, their first, since being reunited with their family. They didn't care in the slightest that it wasn't their party, they were just happy to be there, happy to celebrate their brother.

With that shared, resolute thought, Charlie, Peter, Archie, and Edward decided to do everything in their power to make the day as ordinary, yet as memorable, as possible.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**~ oOo ~**

 **First things first, because I'm a total dummy,  
I forgot to mention something AWESOME in my  
last A/N…**

 **Pinky Promises has hit** **500 REVIEWS** **! Cue  
streamers, party poppers, the whole shebang.  
Thank you all so, so much for your support with  
this little adventure. I honestly never expected  
this many people would read PP, let alone have  
500 reviews before it's even finished posting!**

 **Okay, so, another thing I need to address real  
quick – The two Pauls. I'm sorry for any confusion  
I've caused, I just didn't realize how confusing it  
would be. Totally my error; I apologise.**

 **There's Paul – The FBI agent  
and Paul Lucien – the father of Scarlett's unborn baby.  
Paul Lucien left the ranch before the start of the story,  
which is why he hasn't popped up before now. More on  
him later.**

 **A lot of people are worried about Kristen too.  
Without being too much of a spoilsport, I will set your  
minds at ease – she's NOT in any way related to  
Garrett, I promise. She's just a shitty person.  
But we'll hear more about her relationship with Archie  
as we go forward :)**

 **As always, huge thanks to my dream team  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding  
 **They're both amazing and Pinky Promises  
would be an absolute mess without them.**

 **Anyways…I'll let you get to it!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

By lunch time, Archie was practically delirious with glee.

Charlie's house was full of laughter, smiles, and tearful hugs. Music played temperately from speakers on a shelf above the sofa in the kitchen, the surfaces all covered with a mix of presents wrapped in shiny, colorful paper, and food the girls had spent the morning preparing. Taking pride of place in the center of the dining table was a cake on a stand. A two-tiered, chocolate fudge cake with icing figures sitting on top. Models of Archie, Edward, Scarlett, Rosalie, Heidi, and Pippa as children grinned from the icing reservoir, strawberry laces with cocktail sticks through the middle posing as fishing rods while brightly colored jelly beans masqueraded as fish in the blue buttercream water. It was an exact replica of Archie's fourteenth birthday, during which, the group had spent a happy few hours fishing with Charlie and Peter watching over them.

The happy cries of Carl-Roman as he played with Marley and his older cousins brought smiles to everyone's faces. Eleazer and his wife Carmen had brought their five children – Tanya, Jessica, Mike, Angela, and Eric – as well as twenty-six-year-old Tanya's fiancé Robbie, and their four-month-old son, Isaac. As Eleazer chuckled, tucking Scarlett into his side, Charlie grinned so wide that he thought his face would split, his cheeks hurt that bad. He couldn't help but laugh and shake his head when he remembered his brother's face earlier that morning, when he'd clapped eyes on Scarlett for the first time.

 _The sound of the press gathered outside alerted the group inside to Eleazer and his family's arrival. Scarlett glanced at the clock from her position at the kitchen counter where she was stirring potato salad for later. 10:20a.m. Right on time, she mused._

" _Baby girl, are you okay?" Charlie's soft voice and his hand resting on her shoulder snapped Scarlett back to the present. A shiver rippled through her body as she realized she'd had no idea he was behind her, lost in thought as she was. Anybody could have crept up on her._

" _I…I'm good, Dad."_

 _She could tell Charlie didn't believe her, but he didn't push it and turned towards the doorway. The sound of Peter letting Eleazer in was audible from the kitchen. A handful of seconds later, a tall, muscular man with dark blue eyes and a mop of dark blond hair was standing just inside the kitchen. His gaze was fixed firmly on his older brother and Scarlett. He inhaled deeply, while Scarlett's eyes filled with tears as she took in the changes in her uncle. His stance was a little less straight, face a little more wrinkled; shirt just a little tighter around his stomach._

" _Crikey, you look just like your mother," Eleazer finally breathed, a tear sliding over his cheek to drop onto his blue shirt. Charlie's chuckle was watery, Scarlett's shuddering exhale shaking her entire body. Eleazer's eyes roamed over her face, taking in this familiar yet so unfamiliar young woman. Both Charlie and Scarlett could see the wheels turning; see the recognition as it dawned in his eyes. He was the first, and definitely wouldn't be the last, to notice how inconceivably closely she resembled Penelope._

" _How are you? Are you okay?"_

 _Scarlett nodded jerkily._

" _Is it okay if I give you a hug?"_

 _This time, Scarlett's nod wasn't just jerky, it was hesitant. She wanted so badly to be able to hug her uncle, but she was very aware that it only seemed to take the smallest things to send her into a panic attack. That wasn't what she wanted, not today, not on her brother's birthday._

 _Compartmentalizing her pain and fear, Scarlett took a step towards Eleazer. Slowly, so as not to scare her, he moved closer before finally wrapping his arms loosely around her shoulders. The shudder rippling through her made him want to let go, but she shook her head when he made to move, so he stayed. They were still hugging five minutes later when his wife and their children found them._

Brought back to the present by a particularly loud cry from Tanya's baby son, Scarlett reached up to adjust her ponytail, glancing at Isaac in her cousin's arms a few feet away. His large, dark blue eyes were fixed intently on Scarlett. Tanya noticed where his attention was focused and smiled, with tears in her eyes. "Here," she said gently, handing over her son without hesitation. Blue-green eyes were wary as surprisingly steady hands automatically moved to support the gurgling baby, his mouth open in a smile as she rested him comfortably in the cradle of her arms. A chubby fist gripped her hand with shocking strength, the answering smile on Scarlett's face lighting it up.

"It's so good to have you back, Scarlett."

Their eyes met. Scarlett hoped fervently that hers were speaking for her, because at this moment the entire situation felt so overwhelmingly _right_ she was finding it hard to pin down just one emotion. For the next hour, little Isaac chatted happily from Scarlett's arms, smiling at the family members and friends coming over to check on Scarlett under the guise of cooing at him. At one point, Marley left the train tracks she and Carl-Roman had set up to meet the baby in her mother's arms, cocking her head in confusion when she spotted them.

"Hey, baby girl. Are you having fun?"

Marley nodded excitedly, the smile she'd worn all morning reappearing. Scarlett had explained the concept of a birthday party to her earlier in the morning. She'd been confused, but had quickly grown in confidence when she saw how much Carl-Roman was enjoying himself. She'd been running around with him ever since, occasionally checking in with either Scarlett or Edward.

Noticing Marley peering intently at baby Isaac, Scarlett smiled. "This is Isaac, baby girl. He's our cousin."

Marley reached out gingerly, stroking his cheek with a single fingertip. She smiled cautiously up at her mother, silently asking if it was okay.

"You can touch him, sure."

As she fussed over baby Isaac, Marley spotted Edward. He had planned to pass by and let her bond with her baby cousin, but she waved him over with a wide grin, and he couldn't bear to deny her, so he took the spot beside Scarlett in the bay window and smiled at his favorite five-year-old.

"How're you doing, little sweet? Having fun?"

Marley's head almost popped clean off as she nodded vigorously in reply, pointing at Isaac's face. Edward smiled, leaning over to peer at the baby. He hadn't met Isaac yet, but he'd seen lots of photos and had sent a large hamper of goodies, as well as an extravagant bouquet of flowers, to Tanya and Robbie when he had arrived.

"He's cute." While Marley preoccupied herself with cooing at Isaac, Edward leaned in and whispered, "have you told her yet? You know, that she's getting one of those?"

Scarlett shook her head slowly, her smile slipping slightly. "I don't know how. I know she saw on the screen, but I don't think she realizes that it's a baby. She just seems to think it's like _Spongebob_ on the DVD player. She's never had to share me, you know? I don't want her to be upset."

"She's fine sharing you with Carl-Roman and Chase, so far. And Isaac, here. I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

"You think so?" Scarlett asked, peering up at Edward.

He was grinning down at her, trying to picture the same scene, but with her baby in her arms, Marley cooing over her baby brother or sister. It was difficult to imagine, until Isaac began to fuss. Scarlett immediately forgot about Edward, adjusting the baby at her chest while gently stroking a finger over his forehead and nose. Suddenly, he could picture her with her own newborn perfectly. It only took a few seconds for the baby to settle once more, snuggling into her with an expression any mother knew.

"Tan, I think Isaac is hungry," she called quietly, handing over the baby with a soft, wistful look in her eyes.

Edward stared at her for a beat, smiling until she couldn't take not knowing _why_ any longer.

"What?" She snapped teasingly.

"Nothing. It's just really easy to see you like _that_ with the little sea monkey you're growing. It's a nice picture, is all."

She'd had a fair few similar comments throughout the day from her family members. Having now seen her with Marley, they were all in agreement – she made a wonderful mother, and would again with this new baby when he or she arrived.

The pair beamed at each other, Marley snuggling into her mother's now-vacated lap with one hand resting on Edward's belly, clutching the fabric of his t-shirt. They were so wrapped up in one another that not one of them noticed the flash of a camera as Rosalie snapped a photo of the trio, cocooned in their own little world.

 **~ oOo ~**

By six p.m., most everyone had gone. Roy and Mary returned to their house while Eleazer, Carmen, and their children left for the hotel, having traveled from their homes in Kent. Charlie and Peter were required to attend an emergency meeting with the local council about a housing development their company was due to break ground on in the coming weeks. They couldn't pass up the opportunity for more business, so they suited up and headed out. Which left Archie and Edward with Scarlett, Rosalie, Heidi, Pippa, Marley, Carl-Roman, and Chase.

While the two older girls tidied up the leftover party food and decorations, Archie played with Carl-Roman, Marley, and the train set in the living room, having tucked Chase into his cot upstairs. Edward took himself off for a shower, and Heidi and Pippa sat at the dining table to complete some forgotten homework. A different CD, made up of softer music, added to the calm atmosphere shrouding the house.

Though they'd dressed up to look nice for a day where hundreds of photos had been taken, which would be pored over for years to come, everyone had changed out of their 'posh clothes' as Carl-Roman had dubbed them, and into comfier pajamas or tracksuits. Much to everyone's amusement, the dark gray, tracksuit bottoms Scarlett had borrowed from Edward days before had been washed and become her go-to trousers for when she was puttering around the house. This evening she'd teamed them with a white and red striped T-shirt, knotted at her hip with a hairband.

She and Rosalie, who was sporting a pair of leggings and a scoop-neck t-shirt, looked every bit the ordinary young women they should have been. For an outsider looking in, there wouldn't be anything amiss. Except perhaps, the cameramen and women gathered outside just itching for photos of the birthday boy's special guests.

Rosalie's head snapped up at the sound of the bin lid slamming shut, baby-blues meeting Scarlett's apologetic sea-blue.

"Sorry." She adjusted the lid so it wouldn't slam again, tipping the rest of the leftovers into the trash before turning to face Rosalie with a small smile. "You all done?" Rosalie nodded, so the girls headed into the living room with their arms linked, ears delighting in the sound of Carl-Roman's giggles. He was lying on his stomach between Marley and Archie, the trio all hitting buttons on their train controllers as fast as possible, eyes following their respective engines around the track.

For a moment, Scarlett felt her body relax completely. The sight of her daughter being a normal child, playing with her uncle and cousin, filled her heart to bursting. This was how it should have been when she and Archie had children. They should have been like this since the beginning, not bonding only now at age five and six.

Scarlett's eyes became misty as she gazed at her brother, nephew, and daughter, their expressions and stances identical in excitement and in their determination to win. With perfect clarity, she remembered Archie's face set exactly the same only more youthful, though nobody could deny the handsome edge his wide, relaxed grin brought to his face. Settling themselves onto the sofa farthest from Archie, Carl-Roman, and Marley, the girls' eyes wandered. Rosalie realized they'd forgotten to take down the banner over the TV as Scarlett's eyes fell on the muted screen, widening as she read the writing rolling across the bottom.

 _The Swans and Hales celebrated Archie Swan's birthday together for the first time in twelve years. A spokesman for the two families, Special Agent Riley Lawrence, told us that the families are celebrating together quietly, and request that they are left to spend the day without distraction or interruption. Thank you._

Archie, having noticed where the girls' attention was directed, grabbed the TV remote to turn the volume up just as the presenter reappeared, detailing the few things the world knew about the case. Scarlett, Rosalie, and Archie were filled with a sense of bemusement as the screen switched to a view of Charlie's house. A balding man with a shirt in a hideous shade of orange talked about Eleazer, Carmen, and their family who'd visited for the day, and the comment Eleazer made to them, showing a short clip. Scarlett's lips twitched upwards as she watched her uncle give thinly veiled comments about the press being rude by hanging around, before raving about how amazing it was that the girls had been returned to their family.

When the cameras returned to the presenter in the studio, the screen split into two halves, with the new half displaying photos of the girls from the campaign twelve years ago, the van, Garrett Smith, and the girls' heavily guarded selves a few days previous. There were also shots of Charlie and Peter leaving in their suits, as well as pictures of Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase arriving that morning. He spoke about the little boys, making sure to refer to Carl-Roman's name and the fact that it was a nod to his aunties.

Along the bottom, well-wishes from social media scrolled past in an endless loop, a concept Archie had to explain to his sisters who could only just wrap their heads around the two game consoles sitting beside the DVD player.

"So, if you're watching, Scarlett and Rosalie we wish you all the best with your recovery!"

The girls squeezed their twined hands, listening as the news program completed.

"Everyone has your backs, squirts," Archie commented quietly.

Scarlett and Rosalie smiled half-heartedly, only now realizing how true his statement was. The whole situation was an awful lot to take in.

"I think…I think we're gonna head up to bed if you don't mind?" Rosalie said a few minutes later, when her yawns started coming every thirty seconds or so.

Archie nodded sympathetically. It had been a long, exhausting day for him, so he hated to think how tired the girls must be. They weren't used to the chaos of family life just yet. "Sure, you guys go on up. Do you need anything?"

They shook their heads so he simply stood, gave them both a grateful hug, grinning as Carl-Roman and Marley bounded over, before watching them make their way out of the room. Marley frowned for only a second before giving into her own tiredness and letting Scarlett carry her upstairs. Upstairs, they fell into bed in the clothes they were wearing, curling into the center of the bed with Marley in the middle just as they'd always done on the ranch.

It wasn't long before the girls slipped into a deep sleep, lulled into unconsciousness by the muffled sounds of Carl-Roman's giggles, the husky yet soft tenor of Archie's voice, and the quiet ticking of the clock beside Charlie's bed.

 **~ oOo ~**

By the time Charlie and Peter arrived home, Carl-Roman was fast asleep in his bed upstairs, and Archie was just closing the toy box after clearing away all of his son's trains.

Charlie tugged his tie loose, tossing it over the back of the sofa as he sank into its cushions with a sigh while Peter went to fix them both a drink.

"Meeting go okay?" Archie asked, falling onto the sofa opposite his dad.

"Yeah," Charlie sighed. "We got the permissions we needed. Work will start a little later than planned, but it shouldn't make too much difference if we work damn hard."

Archie nodded, the pair lapsing into silence.

Charlie chewed on his lip – a habit his daughter and granddaughter sporadically displayed. He cast a quick, hesitant look toward his son, then huffed and mumbled, "fuck it." Readying himself for his son's likely defensive response, he inhaled a deep breath and sat up a bit straighter. "Son, where was Kristen today?"

Instead of leaping to defend Kristen, as he usually did, Archie simply sighed and let his head flop back to rest atop the sofa frame. "God knows. I honestly have no idea. She left a note saying she had to go to work, and that was it. Oh, and I got a text about lunchtime."

Having watched his son struggle with his fiancée's indifference toward anything family related for the past seven years, Charlie couldn't help but wonder how he dealt with it. He couldn't imagine doing what Archie did, managing to spend so much time alone with the children with very little help from Kristen. With a frown, Charlie realized that Kristen most likely hadn't spent a full day with her youngest son, Chase, since his birth almost eight months previous.

"Look, Dad, I get it. I heard you and Uncle El talking about it. It's shitty of Kristen to not show, but if I bring it up all she's gonna do is give me a bunch of excuses about how work needed her, she couldn't put it off, whatever."

Kristen's lackluster attitude toward family occasions had always bothered Charlie, though he tried not to make an issue out of it for Carl-Roman's and Chase's sake. That said, he had mentioned her lack of participation to Archie in private, and had always wound up apologizing for putting his nose in places it wasn't wanted. It seemed Archie was finally done making excuses for Kristen. Charlie couldn't help but be happy about that, even if it did make him sad to see his son looking so dejected about it.

"Arch, don't you think she needs pulling up on it, though?" Charlie said softly, carefully.

"I know she does, I just…" Archie blew out a breath, looking up to meet his dad's concerned gaze. "When she's here, she's attentive and she's good with the boys. She acts like she wants to be here, you know? If I start going mad at her every time she comes home she might just not bother."

Charlie didn't want to admit that he thought that might not be such a bad thing, so he kept his mouth shut and nodded instead, trying to think of something more supportive to say. "Well, maybe just a quiet discussion about it then?"

"I guess so."

Peter appeared then, carrying two coffees. "Do you want one, Arch? There's enough water in the kettle."

Waving his uncle off, Archie stood. "No, it's fine, thanks Pete. I'm gonna grab the boys and head home, I think."

"Why don't you stay? They're both asleep up there, might as well just bunk in with them, hadn't you?"

Weighing up his options, and realizing that actually, he didn't particularly relish the thought of returning to an empty house, Archie nodded with a grateful grin. "All right. Thanks, Dad. I think I left some pajamas here last time, anyway."

Charlie nodded. "You did. I put them on top of the dresser in the boys' room. Head up and get a good night sleep."

Shaking his head at how like a child he suddenly felt, being looked after and given fatherly advice, Archie clasped his dad's and uncle's shoulders on his way past, thanking them both for a lovely birthday. "Night, guys."

"Night Arch," the older men chorused.

Once Archie was gone, his footsteps reading the upstairs landing, Peter turned to Charlie. "He okay?"

Charlie nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I think so."

"Did you ask him about Kristen? I still can't believe she didn't show. I thought she might've turned up later in the day, at least."

Charlie and Peter had discussed Kristen many a time, at this point, and had shared knowing looks when Archie had brushed off people's questions in the day about her whereabouts.

"Well, I'm sure she'll have a good excuse when she does finally turn up. At any rate, at least he didn't just jump to her defense and get stroppy with me this time. He seems to have realized, at last, that she's shirking her responsibilities."

"Understatement," Peter scoffed, sipping his hot tea.

Charlie smiled, always grateful to have such a good friend in Peter. He'd always been protective of Archie and Scarlett, and vice versa with Charlie, and Peter's and Tina's girls. "We'll just have to wait and see what he says when she turns up, I guess. In the meantime, I'm beat. I'm going to bed."

"Me too. All right, I'll see you in the morning. I'll lock up, don't worry."

"All right. Night, mate."

The men clapped each other's shoulders, Peter heading next-door after locking the front door behind himself, Charlie heading up to bed. As he stood on the landing outside Scarlett's room, looking down the hall at his bedroom, where Scarlett, Marley, and Rosalie slept, then at the room which had once been Archie's, but now played house to him and his sons whenever they wound up staying late, he couldn't help but feel content.

All of his babies were together, under one roof. Just as they always should have been.

 **~ oOo ~**

It's funny, how the things you dream of one day can become something that has you terrified the next.

When Scarlett was pregnant with Marley, only once had she wished to have a sonogram of her unborn child. It was a few weeks before she'd gone into labor, and it had coincided with the first time she ever felt her move. Once, just once, she'd placed her hands on her growing bump and pictured what it might have been like to be older, married, and having her first baby in a safe environment with doctors to watch over her and keep an eye on the baby. She'd pictured her dad crying over sonogram pictures, her faceless husband proudly showing them off to his friends, the obligatory 'First Scan' frame on the mantelpiece.

She had vague memories of her mother and Tina cooing over Heidi and Pippa's scan pictures. She also remembered her aunt Carmen showing off her scans images during her pregnancies with Angela and Eric, who were sixteen and twelve now. Eric had been born just a week before she and Rosalie were abducted.

That was the first and only time Scarlett had allowed herself to picture what might have been, but never would.

With that in mind, she wasn't sure why she was so terrified now, the day she was due to go to the hospital for a growth scan. After all, she'd had two scans before now – both back in Montana. But she couldn't help but feel they were different, somehow. Bella hadn't taken it all in yet, hadn't accepted it. Now she had, and she was far more nervous.

Officially, she was twenty-four weeks and two days pregnant, so she was a few weeks late in regard to the usual ultrasound schedule. Of course, nothing about the entire situation was exactly normal, so the doctors had taken special care to make arrangements for the scan to go as smoothly as possible.

Starting by allowing far more than the usual two people in with her.

Charlie, Archie, Edward, and Rosalie were gathered around the end of her bed, Marley swinging her legs on Edward's lap. The sonographer had left the group for a few minutes to let them all get their bearings, making the excuse of fetching more rubber gloves despite having a full box in the cupboard.

"Are you okay?" Archie asked, reaching out to squeeze Scarlett's ankle gently.

She smiled shakily, leaning back against the bed sheathed in crinkly blue paper. "I don't know."

"Mommy?" Marley asked softly, reaching for Scarlett.

"Hey, you wanna hang with me for a minute longer, little sweet? Mummy needs to stay real still for a bit."

Marley frowned but did as Edward asked and remained on his lap, only then taking notice of her surroundings. She peered at the pale blue walls, the screen set up on the other side of the bed, and the doctor re-entering from the door across the room.

"Is everyone ready?"

Sucking in a deep breath through her teeth, Scarlett nodded, her smile tiny.

"Okey dokey then, let's get started."

She took her time getting the machine ready, warning Scarlett before she squirted the first dollop of cool jelly on her tummy. Scarlett's father, brother, and friends had all taken notice of the visible bump in her midsection when she'd rolled up her T-shirt. At almost six months they'd expect it to be much bigger, but the fact the bump was there at all was a miracle considering how little Scarlett had been eating the months before her rescue.

"Scarlett, are you ready to see your baby?" The sonographer asked, Doppler poised centimeters from her skin. With Scarlett's shaky nod, she smiled and began searching for the best angle, turning the screen towards the anxious observers.

Before Scarlett could even fully register what she was seeing, Charlie's beard was soaking up his tears. The baby's arms were visible, waving around as it wriggled and squirmed, playing up for his or her enthralled audience. The difference in the baby's shape since the last scan was dramatic. Scarlett could make out all of his or her facial features, a button nose just like Marley's, and a pair of long legs.

"Have you felt much movement?"

Scarlett shook her head, not sure she could form words at this moment in time.

"You probably will within the next few weeks. It's completely normal not to feel a whole lot just yet. Usually, we say baby will establish a pattern of movement by twenty-eight weeks, so you have a while to go before we'll start looking more closely."

"I didn't feel anything with Marley until right at the end, so I wouldn't be surprised if this one is the same," Scarlett uttered, fascinated by the baby bouncing around within her, though she couldn't feel it. "He—um, or she, they look big. I thought I was measuring small, the doctor in America said?"

The sonographer frowned, taking a few measurements before facing Scarlett. "Honestly? Baby is a little smaller than expected at this stage, _but_ I wouldn't say 'too small,' if that makes sense. Baby could stand to grow a bit more, absolutely, but I'm not too worried at the moment. As long as you're eating well and taking care of yourself, I'm happy with how you're both doing as of right now. You have plenty time to bulk yourself _and_ this little one up before your delivery. Did your last doctor give you an estimated delivery date?"

Scarlett shook her head, and with a few clicks of the mouse, the sonographer turned back to her with a smile, handing over a string of four printed stills of the baby. As Marley craned over, Edward moved so that she could see without actually sitting on Scarlett. Peter managed to snap a photo of the sweet moment as the sonographer declared her due date as September twenty-second.

 **~ oOo ~**

Back at home, Scarlett found herself constantly pausing in her ministrations in the kitchen to look towards the American style double fridge. Sitting between Carl-Roman's most recent portrait of his family – including Rosalie, Scarlett, and Marley for the first time – and a picture of blue-haired, green-faced Charlie that Marley had drawn, were her scan photos. The quartet looked right at home there and brought a smile to Scarlett's face every time her eyes caught them.

The first was a close-up of the baby's head and shoulders, and it tickled Scarlett to see the resemblance between him or her, and Marley. The second was a whole body shot, with the baby's long legs stretched out. Resting a hand over her bump, Scarlett wondered if, and when, she'd get to feel those feet kicking. The third shot was a bit blurrier because the baby had been wriggling something fierce while the sonographer tried to see from the front.

The fourth image was, by far, Scarlett's favorite. The baby looked like he or she was doing a fist pump. One arm raised above his or her head. Nobody could deny that the baby looked as though it was celebrating.

"Uh, Scarlett?"

Scarlett spun, dragging her eyes away from her baby's face to smile at Charlie. He loitered in the doorway, looking uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong, I promise. I just...uh, well you're six months now, right?" He gestured loosely towards her midsection, the beginnings of a proud smile pulling at his lips.

"Yes, six months. Why?"

"Well, we haven't got anything for her, and we've only got a few months 'til she's gonna need clothes and a bed…what?" He trailed off, looking bemused when Scarlett laughed and shook her head.

"'She?' You're joining Rosalie's camp?"

He smiled, bashful. "Yeah. I reckon you've got another little Marley in there."

Rosalie, Archie, Charlie, and Peter were all adamant she was having another little girl. Only Edward and Marley were betting on the baby being a boy. Scarlett wasn't sure, truthfully, but she wouldn't mind either way.

"Ok, so what do you want to do? Get stuff for the baby?"

Charlie nodded, pointing at the laptop on the dining table. "I thought we could have a look, maybe just check out prices and stuff. I haven't figured out rooms or anything like that yet. Obviously, we don't have a spare room, but we can do something with yours and make it so you have some space of your own. I mean, the book says—"

"Chuck, have you been reading that book again?" Peter laughed, slipping past Charlie in the doorway to enter the kitchen. As Charlie tugged at his hair, abashed, Peter smiled at Scarlett. "When Kristen was pregnant with both boys, this one drove everyone crazy with his damn book. What's it called again?"

" _What To Expect When You're Expecting_ ," Charlie grumbled, removing said book from the shelf beside the door. He handed it over to Scarlett as she grinned at him and flipped through a few pages, skim-reading here and there. Her reading wasn't great, seeing as her education had been all but ended when she was eight years old, though she and Rosalie had managed to advance a little thanks to the numerous cook books Garrett had made them read over the years. Still, she mostly looked at the images as she flicked through the pages.

" _Anyway_ , as I was saying, the book says you'll be wanting to nest right about now. You know, nursery, clothes, that sort of thing. I wasn't sure what you did with Mars…"

Not allowing the pregnant pause to escalate into an awkward silence, Scarlett sighed. "Nothing, really. She never even had a cot. It was pure luck, but a few days before she was born the guys came back from a supply run with a bunch of stuff. Nappies, wipes, formula, the essentials really. Some clothes, but they were all way too big. If ever we needed anything for Marley we used to just give a list straight to the guys, and they'd get it on the supply runs, it was easier that way." She got a wistful look in her eye as she peered back at the scan photos stuck to the fridge. "I didn't really think about it much though. Nesting, I mean. All the baby clothes, and stuff. I remember when Aunt T was pregnant with Heidi and Pippa and we went shopping for baby stuff all the time."

"Why don't we start small, yeah?"

Scarlett hesitated for a beat, then nodded.

Twenty minutes later, Edward and Marley found Charlie and Scarlett at the dining table, poring over nursery sets.

"What about this one? Looks sturdy, has a good safety rating," Charlie pointed to one on the screen – a white wood crib, wardrobe, and changing table set.

Scarlett frowned, cocking her head. "I don't know. It looks too…girly. What if the baby's a boy?"

"Definitely a boy in there, Bella. You can't be getting girly stuff," Edward teased, coming around to peer over her shoulder. He grinned when he realized what they were looking at. "Nursery stuff, huh?"

"Yeah," she hummed. "Shall we leave this for a bit? I'm—wait! Dad, scroll back a second…Zoom in on that one."

Charlie looked sideways at his daughter, smiling wide as he clicked on the thumbnail she'd pointed to. They all, Marley included, leaned in closer when the set she'd indicated came up bigger on the screen. "You like this one?"

"Yeah…" Scarlett breathed, unable to contain the tears that began prickling the backs of her eyes. It was silly really, but the oak, sleigh cot was beautiful, with its full end panels, a curved design, and a classic look. It was perfect.

"It has a drawer underneath, and converts into a cot-bed, too, baby girl," Charlie pointed out.

"It's perfect."

Unable to contain his glee, Charlie added the page to his favorites, a happy twinkle in his eyes. "Okay, let me make a note of the site."

"Mommy?" Marley asked, leaning forwards and asking to sit in her mother's lap.

Scarlett accepted her gladly, giving her a snuggle and a kiss to the top of her head. "You okay, baby girl?"

Marley nodded, reaching back to hold one of Edward's hands while she watched Charlie switch through the numerous tabs they had open, returning to a page he'd opened a few nights previous, but hadn't yet wanted to show Scarlett for fear of upsetting her. Marley had a long day, but she was fighting sleep hard. Since she'd been home with her mother and auntie, she'd all but dropped her daytime naps, too excited by all the new things going on around her. Despite Scarlett knowing she should be trying to get Marley into a new routine, she couldn't help but want to keep her daughter with her as much as possible, even if she did end up falling asleep on her lap, or Edward's, or Rosalie's, or Charlie's. These days, she barely slept in a bed at all.

It always made Scarlett smile to think about how Edward's lap was, by far, Marley's favorite.

"Okay, so I found this the other day…Feel free to say 'no,' all right? I just thought it would be nice. For photos, you know."

Scarlett shot her dad a grin, unused to seeing him so unsure of himself. When she turned back to the screen, her tears came in rivers rather than a trickle.

"That's adorable, Pawpaw," Edward chuckled, patting him on the back.

"Dad, we definitely need to get these for Marley and the baby," Scarlett agreed, already trying to picture Marley in the 'Big Sister' T-shirt, her as-yet, faceless brother or sister in the 'Baby Brother' or 'Baby Sister' onesie.

"I found a few other things, too. Here, I'll show you."

Within two hours, Charlie and Scarlett amassed quite the wardrobe for the baby. Scarlett had argued with him at first, horrified when he didn't close a tab quickly enough, and she saw the price of the shopping basket. It had taken ten minutes of Charlie opening up his online banking to prove to Scarlett that she didn't need to worry about the price tags so much.

"When you were born, you _and_ Rosalie, Pete and I opened up bank accounts like the one we had for Archie. When the business took off, we made it so a portion of our profits on each job automatically went into them. To be honest, we'd probably have used some of the money for the search, but only the person named on the account can access it," he'd shrugged, huffing when the screen took too long to respond. "That's you, so…"

Scarlett blanched when she saw the number that popped up. It ended with far too many zeroes but had removed any of her worries regarding her dad putting himself out of pocket paying for baby things.

So they had continued looking, Scarlett's stomach still churning whenever she thought of the money accrued over the years, just waiting for her to return to it. By the time nine p.m. rolled around, Scarlett was exhausted and battling eyestrain, unused to looking at a screen for so long. Marley had fallen asleep wrapped around her like a spider monkey, her hand still hanging onto Edward's tightly. He'd fallen into a seat beside them, content to just observe quietly, only piping up when he saw something he thought Scarlett might like to see up close.

"All right, we're heading up, Dad. Thank you, for all of this. I'm so lucky to have you." Scarlett stood, being careful not to jostle Marley. She smiled down at her dad, leaning over to kiss his head. "Goodnight, Dad. Love you."

Charlie blinked back the fierce sting of happy tears. "Love you too, baby girl. No need to thank me, all right? This money is all yours, for you and my grandbabies. I'm just looking forward to being able to spoil you all. Sweet dreams only, okay?"

"Okay. Night."

"I'm gonna hit the hay, too. I'll just come up to use the bathroom," Edward said quietly, taking Marley when it became obvious Scarlett was struggling to get her up the stairs.

"Thank you," she whispered, sighing contentedly at the sight of her daughter cuddling as far into Edward's chest as she could, humming in her sleep. She clutched Mr. Eddie close, as usual, and whined softly when Edward tried to lie her on the bed. Rosalie had gone home to her own house attempting to sleep without Scarlett for the first time, so the bed looked startlingly large with just tiny Marley in the middle.

Her eyes flickered open, landing on Edward as he tried, unsuccessfully, to get her hands to release his shirt. "Ed-wood!"

A tear tumbled over Scarlett's cheek as he perched on the side of the bed, letting her settle tucked into his side. She sighed, mumbling, "Ed-wood" once again as sleep welcomed her back.

"You might as well stay there until she's actually asleep, or she'll just wake up again," Scarlett whispered, smiling reassuringly when Edward cocked his head and mouthed, "are you sure?"

"It's fine, honestly. She went to sleep late last night, and it's way past her bedtime now, so she could do with a good rest. If you'd rather go to bed yourself it's fine, honestly," she stammered, remembering he'd said he was heading to bed. Embarrassed, she slipped her hoodie off and climbed under the covers in her leggings and t-shirt. "Sorry, you go on to bed. She'll settle again, it's fi—"

"Hey, quit panicking," Edward laughed quietly, lifting his legs up onto the bed and stretching out, sitting upright against the headboard, his head tipped to the side to face Scarlett. "She's comfy and settled, that's good enough for me. I'll hang out here for a bit, read your dad's book or something."

Charlie always kept a book on his bedside table. He hadn't touched the one currently taking up residence there for months, but Edward made sure the bookmark was secure before opening it to the first page.

When he could still feel Scarlett staring at the side of his face a few minutes later, he turned to look at her in the darkness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just…thank you. For being so good— _yawn_ —with her. She loves you so much already."

Edward couldn't even get a response out in time, his mouth tipping up in a grin as Scarlett's eyes slid shut and her breaths evened out. She was exhausted, and it was no wonder, really. With the soft glow of the moon sneaking through the blinds, and the soothing sounds of Scarlett's and Marley's breathing nearby, Edward let himself relax.

When Charlie poked his head through the gap between the door and the doorframe an hour later on his way back from a quick trip to get a glass of water, he couldn't resist snapping a photo of the trio curled together on his bed; Marley snuggled between Scarlett and Edward. Scarlett had reached over Marley and had a hand resting on Edward's hip, his arm crossed over hers so he could rest a hand on the now-visible swell of her belly.

It was an adorable photo, one Charlie printed on photo paper and displayed in a frame he'd had tucked away for the day his girls were returned to him, and all before anybody else woke up the next morning. He'd always planned to display a photo of himself and Scarlett in it, but somehow, this image screamed 'home' and 'love' better than any posed photo he could organize.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**~ Before anything else, I'd just like to say that  
my love and thoughts are with all those affected  
by the tragedy in Manchester. It's heartbreaking  
to think that there are hundreds of families walking  
around with less light in their lives; that so many  
possibilities and chances were taken by one  
evil excuse for a man. It makes everything else,  
every forgotten chore or missed bus,  
pale in comparison.**

 **Manchester, we're with you 3**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **In the spirit of good moods and sunny Saturdays,  
I thought I'd post a day early! I'm on cloud nine  
this weekend having finally booked the venue,  
photographer, and videographer for my wedding,  
so I guess you guys get the benefit. You're welcome ;)**

 **I'd like to say a huge thank you to my wonderful  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding  
 **Once again, they've done a wonderful job at  
** **making this chapter presentable. I have tweaked  
here and there though, so any mistakes are mine :)  
**

 **This chapter does have a couple of tricky subjects  
** **to cover - violence and details of how Scarlett  
** **received one or two of her injuries. If that makes you  
** **uncomfortable, please shoot me a message and I'll  
** **send you the chapter with that section summarised.**

 **Welcome to any new readers! So glad to have you  
with us!**

 **And a massive thank you to  
The Lemonade Stand, for featuring Pinky Promises.  
There are a bunch of great recc's there, so head on  
over if you're looking for some fab fics to read.**

 **Anyways...Happy Saturday! Enjoy!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

The next three weeks passed uneventfully, for the most part.

Scarlett and Rosalie began to heal under the watchful eyes and tender loving care of their loved ones. To everybody's relief, Scarlett's weight increased almost to the point that she looked healthy, her bump growing fast now that she was getting three decent meals a day. The girls began attending twice-weekly sessions with their new psychologist, Irina Denali, and the improvement in their behavior and mind-set was noticeable to all.

The most obvious was Scarlett's fear of touch.

The day she finally allowed her dad to hug her without a flinch, grimace, or outward reaction was an emotional one, with tears shed and declarations of love. It became a regular occurrence to see Charlie randomly stop whatever he was doing to embrace his daughter, the fissures in his heart sticking themselves back together one by one.

Charlie surprised Scarlett with the arrival of the baby's nursery furniture, sending her to Peter's house for a day with Rosalie, Marley, Heidi, and Pippa. He'd managed to redecorate her bedroom right under her nose, keeping the door shut as he knew she wasn't ready to venture in there just yet. She hadn't noticed that when she went to bed, he stayed up each night painting the walls a pretty, sunny yellow shade, and laying soft cream carpet. He'd also switched out her twin bed for a double, and moved it to make room for the crib in the alcove. A small, twin bed sat at the other end of the room, decorated with a bedding set bearing puppies of all shapes, colors, and sizes. Marley had loved it on sight when he'd snuck her in for an early showing.

The day he finally led Scarlett into the room it was unrecognizable. She sobbed her way around it, touching everything and repeatedly thanking her dad. She'd paused in front of the crib, crying into her cupped hands as she took it all in. Marley pulled herself up on the side, trying to peek in over the bumper and bars.

Slowly, a frown took over Scarlett's face. "What's different?"

Charlie chuckled. He'd wondered how long it would take her to notice. "What do you mean, baby girl?"

"I mean…It's the one I saw on the computer, but…there's something different about it. I just can't put my finger on it."

"I think you need to speak to a certain young man over there about that."

Scarlett turned, raising her head to look at Edward. He wore a bashful, slightly nervous expression as he reached up, tugging at the peak of his cap. "Edward? What does Dad mean?"

"Well, I'd already started on it when you pointed out the crib online. I managed to tweak it so it'd look more like that one, and the stain was easy enough. To be honest, it was pretty close anyway. We must have similar taste."

Shaking her head, as though it might help clear the confusion clouding her mind, Scarlett cleared her throat. "Edward, I have no idea what you're saying."

Huffing, Edward let his head fall back slightly and stared at the ceiling as he admitted, "I made it. I made you the crib. If you don't like it, it's absolutely fine. I can sell this, and we can still get the other one, it's no trouble. I just wanted to do something to help and surprise you, so…yeah."

A million thoughts flew through Scarlett's mind as she turned her eyes back to the crib. Suddenly, she could see it. She could see the intricately carved details that had been missing in the crib on the laptop. And, come to think of it, hadn't the bars been rounded? These were straight and flat, with softer edges which felt silky smooth under Scarlett's fingertips. The solid panel that made up the back of the crib had a sophisticated, curly flourish dead in the center, and smaller, matching ones on the inside of each end panel.

"It's beautiful, Edward," she breathed, awed by the craftsmanship and thought that had gone into the gorgeous piece of furniture. "How? When? When did you make this?" He spent virtually all of his time with her or Marley. When did he get the chance to sneak off to build this? It clearly wasn't a job he could've finished within a mere couple of hours.

He shrugged nonchalantly, though she could see the beginnings of hope in his face as he peered down at her. "Mostly while you slept, or went to therapy. Sometimes I can't sleep and I get restless, so I'd just go across to Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle's garage to work on it instead of waking everyone up by rattling around the house." He sighed, cocking his head to the side just a little. "Do you like it?"

"Edward, I love it! It's perfect! So much better than the original, and I didn't think that was possible. It's so beautiful. You're incredibly talented, do you know that?"

It tickled Charlie, as well as Scarlett, to see the tips of Edward's ears flush pink at her praise. "Umm, thank you. That means a lot. I'm glad you like it."

Marley recaptured the adults' attention by tugging at Edward's shirt, then pointing at the crib in frustration.

"This is where the baby will sleep, Marley," Edward told her, lifting her at the waist so she could see better. She grinned up at him, sitting Mr. Eddie in the cot beside the teddy bear.

"Are you sharing, Mars?" Charlie asked, leaning in the doorway with the biggest smile on his face. "I'm sure your baby sister will love—"

" _No_ , brother."

All eyes swiveled towards Edward, his grin faltering. He stammered a few, unintelligible words before looking at Marley, still holding her up so she could lean on the rail of the crib. She had a defiant look on her face as she shook her head.

"No sister. _Brother_."

Her voice wasn't quite how a five-year-old's voice should sound, but she hadn't had the practice wrapping her tongue around words like a normal child, so it was to be expected. Her 'brother' sounded more like 'brothuh,' but it was clear what she meant. Scarlett's tears halted momentarily as she turned, crouching to be face-to-face with her daughter.

"Sweetie, are you…are you _talking_?"

Marley nodded, a sweet, bashful smile on her face, but she didn't answer again. She went the entire day before uttering another word.

'Ed-wood,' she'd murmured as Edward tucked her into bed that night. Over the following few days, she began saying a few more words, with more frequency. Irina Denali, the psychologist, said she was feeling more comfortable in her new home; more comfortable with her family, and it was allowing her to open up a little more. Whatever the reason, Scarlett was proud of every word Marley spoke.

Scarlett had attended another scan, and everybody was pleased with the results. The baby was catching up with the sort of size he or she should be at almost seven months. Both the sonographer and Scarlett's OB/GYN had been overjoyed for her when she shared the news at the appointment right after the scan, even though most were disappointed when Scarlett admitted that she didn't want to find out the sex of the baby until he or she arrived.

On the twentieth of June, exactly two months after the girls' rescue, Charlie and Peter took to the cameras to release a public statement. It went viral almost immediately.

Aged by over a decade of sorrow, yet healed by two months of joy, the men appeared completely different from the images of themselves back in two-thousand-four. At Riley's suggestion, and with the hesitant agreement of the girls, Scarlett and Rosalie had also allowed a recent photograph of themselves to be released. It was taken on Archie's birthday, with the girls tucked into his sides. The press had caught wind of Marley's existence after she'd been spotted in the living room window one day, but they'd been surprisingly low-key with their digging and attempting to get information about her. So, despite Scarlett's initial reservations, she said 'yes' to releasing the photo of herself, Rosalie, and Archie – even though Marley's profile was visible in the background.

Also visible in the photo were Scarlett's eyebrow scars, one far more healed than the other.

Many journalists ruminated over the decision to release this picture, in particular, some correctly deducing that it was because it was similar to the one used in the original campaign.

With the thirst of the journalists somewhat abated, the Swans and Hales could concentrate on themselves and their recovery.

Rosalie began spending more and more nights at her dad's house. The separation was torture at first, but the girls gradually found it starting to get easier. Still, Rosalie and Scarlett far preferred being within eyesight of one another, which was understandable.

 **~ oOo ~**

The twenty-fifth of June dawned warm and sunny with not an inkling of a cloud anywhere in the sky. Scarlett woke first, as had become usual, and was already well into the preparations for a fry-up, including bacon, sausages, eggs, and hash browns, when Edward joined her; this too was a routine occurrence.

In the course of a few weeks, the pair had become close, their friendship rekindling over a shared love of cooking, a mutual appreciation of each other's need for quiet time every now and then, and their fondness for Marley.

With careful maneuvering and cleverly thought out trickery, Edward often managed to get Scarlett to eat more food than she realized, boyishly requesting that she tasted everything before serving them up. Often, Marley also taste-tested their creations, sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar with a coloring pad and pencils, content to watch her mother and Edward working together.

Each morning, Charlie, Peter, Archie, Carl-Roman, Chase, Heidi, Pippa, and Rosalie trickled into the kitchen, tucking into the food Scarlett and Edward cooked. Occasionally, they were joined by Edward's Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle, or Charlie's neighbors, Alice and Jasper Whitlock with their sons, Clarke and Dave.

Esme and Carlisle had been spending some time renovating their holiday home in the South of France when they heard the news that Scarlett and Rosalie were home, so they'd returned as quickly as possible to support the family they'd been friends with since moving onto the street a decade ago. Far closer to his aunt and uncle than his parents, Edward had been exceptionally excited to introduce them to Marley. Scarlett had stepped back with a smile and a nonchalant wave, allowing him his fun when they'd arrived. They had spent the entire day with the Swans and Hales. Many tears were shed with numerous photos taken.

Alice and Jasper Whitlock had moved into the house beside Charlie's just a year before the girls' abduction, but they'd been friendly and shared barbecues over the fence throughout the summer. When the girls went missing, they'd become a secondary pillar of support for Charlie and Peter whenever they needed help with Archie, Heidi, and Pippa. And later, they had become that for Archie, too. Aside from his Pawpaw or Uncle Pete, Alice and Jasper were Carl-Roman's favorite babysitters. They'd brought their sons – ten-year-old Clarke and five-year-old Dave – over with them one sunny day mid-June and Scarlett bonded quickly with Alice, while Dave and Marley became instant best friends. They sat quietly together in the garden, content to play with the Whitlock's Boston Terrier, Bonnie. She was an elderly lady at eight-years-old, but she placidly chased the ball they rolled for her over and over, until finally, she collapsed in Marley's lap for a snooze in the sun.

Needless to say, Marley had never smiled wider, and Charlie had taken great pleasure in filling his camera roll with pictures of Marley's first meeting with a dog.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Aw, crap!" Edward hissed, yanking his hand away from the knife he'd been using to chop mushrooms. He'd gotten lost in memories of Alice and Jasper's visit. He was smiling to himself at the picture of Marley petting Bonnie when he missed the mushroom and hit his finger instead.

The knife hit the sideboard with a clatter as Scarlett spun, her face drawn with horror at the sound of his obvious pain. Within seconds, she'd rounded the island to cradle his injured right hand in her small, gentle palms. Well versed in tending to injuries as she was, Scarlett knew the small cut on his middle finger wasn't going to need stitches, or anything more than a dip under some water and a clean plaster.

"Come here," she urged softly, tugging him along behind her to the table, where she pushed him towards a chair. His eyes followed her as she moved around the room on silent, sock-clad feet, all-but drowning in not only his gray jogging bottoms, but a pink t-shirt of his, too. He'd seen her wistful expression when she saw the windsurfer motif on the front last time he'd worn it, so, once it had been washed, Edward had happily gifted it to her. She missed the beach, she'd admitted, and he'd been only too willing to give her the fabric representation until they could go to the beach for real.

"Shit!"

"Sorry," Scarlett mumbled. Edward's mouth was turned down in a boyish scowl as she dipped his finger in a small bowl of cold water, cleaning the blood from around the cut before drying it with a tissue, holding it until the bleeding stopped. "It'll be okay in a minute."

Bemused green eyes watched Scarlett glide back to the scene of the crime, scraping the bloodied mushrooms into the bin before wiping the board and putting it into the sink for a proper clean. The knife went in, too. Edward considered her as she deftly managed the rest of the meal preparations seemingly without effort, her multitasking skills allowing her to cook a loaf of bread, mind the sizzling bacon, and turn the sausages on the grill.

"You know a lot about injuries, huh?" Edward asked after a few minutes, anticipating the way Scarlett tensed. It was a stupid question to ask really, because they both knew he'd heard her recount of how she'd received every injury, every mark she'd gained in the past twelve years, accidental or otherwise.

"Self-preservation." Scarlett's whisper was so soft that he barely heard it from a few feet away. But the words, when they did reach him, sent a shiver down his spine. He was glad Marley had chosen to sit in the living room that morning, watching cartoons on the big flat screen with Mr. Eddie. "Rosalie's better with them than I am…" Scarlett trailed off.

She didn't need to finish the sentence. Edward did so in his head.

 _Because Rosalie's been patching her up for years._

With his brows furrowed, he asked, "will you show me?"

When Scarlett turned to face Edward, it was with a wince. Her eyes were tumultuous, her expression etched with fear. It was so easy to see the battle waging in her stormy eyes, and Edward immediately wished that he could take back the words.

"I'm sorry, forget I said th—"

Before Edward could finish his apology, Scarlett took a tentative step towards him. Wordlessly, her gaze pleaded with him not to reach out, though deep down she knew he would. He'd always been tactile.

Scarlett moved to stand beside Edward, and it was then that she realized she hadn't put the plaster on his cut. She quickly picked up the blue band-aid she'd removed from the first-aid kit, sticking it to the side of his finger. He smiled in thanks, then watched in confusion as she tamped back her fear to crouch in front of him, tugging up the too-long left leg of Edward's borrowed joggers.

Marring her skin was the telltale, faint white line of a scar. Edward couldn't help himself, and dropped to the tiles in front of her. His hands moved swiftly towards the mark just as Scarlett expected they would. Soft, slightly calloused fingertips swept over the three-inch-long line, tracing the jagged shape feather-lightly.

"How? When?"

"I was ten. He threw a vase." At his horrified expression, she hurried to elaborate, "it smashed on the wall. A shard caught my leg."

Having hung around and worked on construction sites since being a young boy, Edward had seen many injuries like this one, thought the stitching was always far cleaner, the lines less crude.

"Must have been a shitty doctor that stitched it up," he muttered through clenched teeth, disgusted she'd had to suffer through something like this when she was still just a baby.

That disgust was increased tenfold by the wry statement that fell from Scarlett's lips. "I'll tell Rosalie you said that."

It took a few moments for her words to sink in. When they did, Edward's heart all-but shoved itself from his chest, large hands gripping Scarlett's upper-arms desperately.

"That's a sick joke, Scarlett. _Cazzo_." He spat the curse in Italian before realization kicked him in the gut. Scarlett trembled in his grasp, eyes wide as she gazed at him with an eerie numbness that made Edward sick to his stomach.

"It's not…I wouldn't joke…not about this, Edward."

Edward felt like a complete and utter tool, fighting nausea at the thought of ten-year-old Rosalie having to stitch up Scarlett's leg. It was a heart-breaking image, one he wished he could get rid of. Seeing the truth in her eyes was more than Edward could take, so he pulled Scarlett gently towards his chest and sighed heavily when she settled, somewhat hesitantly, against him; her bump a firm, grounding presence between them. Their breathing evened out, hearts beating in time with each other in a thumping rhythm that echoed in Edward's ears. The steady thrum of his pulse resonated through Scarlett's body as she leaned her cheek against his neck, inhaling the sandalwood, freshly cut grass scent she was beginning to recognize as solely _him_. Wrapping her arms loosely around Edward's torso, Scarlett shivered with pleasure at the warmth seeping from his body into her bones, warming her from the inside-out.

They sprung apart with twin gasps, both looking down at the bump jutting from Scarlett's midsection before meeting each other's wide eyes.

"Did you feel that?" They asked in sync, laughing shakily when they both nodded in response.

"Oh my God…" Scarlett breathed, hands flying to rest to one side of her belly. She quickly tugged the material up, revealing her bump. A few seconds later, she visibly jumped, a squeal stealing its way from between her lips. "Here, feel this!" She snatched Edward's hand from mid-air, pressing it between both of hers at a spot on the right of her bump. Edward's heart raced as he waited, then spiked at the obvious pressure beneath his palm.

"He's kicking?" He asked whisper-softly.

Scarlett nodded quickly, excitement plain as day on her face. It was infectious. Edward couldn't help but grin, even as he fought the telltale prickling at the backs of his eyes. "Yeah. I didn't feel this 'til right at the end of my pregnancy with Marley."

"Well, you're, what? Seven months now?"

"Yeah. Oh! He's kicking again."

The pair sat in silence, grinning crazily at one another and not daring to move their hands until the baby within Scarlett's belly ceased his or her movements, settling down once more.

When Charlie's footsteps became audible on the stairs, then on the kitchen tiles, five minutes later it was blatantly obvious something had happened. The wide smiles on Edward and Scarlett's faces were too bold to ignore. Of course, he'd been excited for his daughter. Delighted in fact, that she'd been able to feel the life move inside of her. But he'd also been jealous of Edward, and resolved to stick closer than ever to Scarlett so that he might get the chance to feel his unborn grandchild move, too.

 **~ oOo ~**

Over breakfast, Charlie reminded the entire group – Scarlett, Rosalie, Peter, Edward, and Archie – that Riley would be over soon with a forensic artist. Riley and his team were having no luck in finding Garrett Smith or his accomplice, the man who'd help kidnap the girls, and he'd explained that they would need Scarlett and Rosalie's help. That was where the artist came in. The hope was that this man, whoever he was, would have some idea of Garrett Smith's whereabouts. Or at least he may be able to shed some light on where he may have gone. The authorities were working on the assumption that if he was trusted enough to help take the girls twelve years ago, he might still be trusted enough to be helping Gareth now.

Daunted by the thought of having to describe the accomplice for the second time in a month, Scarlett and Rosalie ate sparsely and quietly, clearing the plates away in the same manner. Only Carl-Roman and Marley's antics brought even the smallest of smiles to their faces. Their fathers, brother, and friends were all struggling with the sudden silence of the girls. They'd been getting used to them participating in conversation, so it was a jolt back to reality having the girls revert to their mute, still natures.

Riley arrived at quarter past eleven with the artist in tow. Despite the crowds of news outlets having dwindled drastically, a few still occasionally hung out, calling questions about the girls, the case, and the suspect. They all wanted to know the same thing; where is he?

It was a question Riley hated to admit he couldn't answer.

Peter let the two men inside, leading them first to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and to warn them of the step backwards the girls seemed to have taken. After deciding not to call Irina just yet, Peter, Charlie, Riley, and the artist joined Scarlett, Rosalie, Archie, Edward, Marley, Carl-Roman, and baby Chase in the living room.

"Good morning, Riley!" Carl-Roman cried, grinning at the agent as soon as he spotted him. The train set on the coffee table was forgotten as the little boy leaped up, running to offer Riley a fist-bump. Riley couldn't help the smile that stole over his face as he returned it willingly, even making the prerequisite exploding boulder sounds as the boy's fist crashed into his before playfully spinning off. "Are you here to see me?"

The room was filled with amused titters, only Scarlett and Rosalie remaining blank-faced.

"Not quite, buddy," Riley admitted, gesturing at the balding, mustached man at his side. "I've brought a friend to meet your aunties. This is Mr. Bryant, and he's going to draw some pictures with them. Is that okay?"

Carl-Roman's eyes – Scarlett's eyes – narrowed as he appraised the man, stopping at the briefcase in his hand. "S'that got colors in it?"

Mr. Bryant's mustache twitched. "Sure does, kiddo."

Torn between wanting to help the girls feel more at ease, and wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, Charlie looked to Peter for help. His brows furrowed, mind ticking over ways to distract Carl-Roman.

Mr. Bryant came to the rescue. All eyes were on him as he pulled a pair of children's coloring books from his briefcase, moving with Carl-Roman to the window-seat, where he placed the book, a pack of coloring pencils, and then explained that there was a competition for the best picture in the book. Eager to win the sweets Mr. Bryant promised, the boy sat and quickly set to work coloring a cartoon farm. When Mr. Bryant turned back to the others in the room, he shrugged wryly. "I've seen a lot of children get bored and need distracting."

Praised for his initiative, he sat himself on the sofa opposite Scarlett and Rosalie. Riley joined him.

"Scarlett, Rosalie, this is Kim Bryant. He's a forensic artist from my division, back in the States."

Rosalie mustered a tiny smile, her eyes flashing as she alternated her gaze between Peter and Kim. "It's…it's great to m-meet you."

Kim's answering smile was sad as he returned the sentiment, including Scarlett even though, as yet, she'd only stared at him pensively. "Now, I know neither of you are chidren, so I won't treat you as such. We'll try this on paper first if you're comfortable that way, and if need be we'll use my computer. Is that all right with both of you?"

Both girls nodded, nerves increasing tenfold. Charlie and Peter stood to one side of the room, tense and unhappy with the entire situation, while Archie joined Carl-Roman, and Edward sat in an armchair adjacent to the sofas with Marley and Mr. Eddie in his lap. Blue-greens and baby-blues watched as Kim pulled paper and pencils from his case, setting the black leather bag on the floor beneath the table before sitting himself on the edge of the cushions, a small, sad smile playing beneath his mustache.

"Okay, do you think you could take a look at these sheets and tell me if any of them seem familiar, please?"

Rosalie slid forward on the sofa, one hand still clasping Scarlett's as she glanced at the sheaf of paper.

 **~ oOo ~**

An hour passed, but the group was getting nowhere. Rosalie struggled to keep herself together, attempting to remember a face from over a decade ago while also trying to keep Scarlett from melting into a panic attack. Thankfully, patience was something Kim had in spades.

"What about this one?" He gently coaxed Rosalie to look at the sheet of noses once more, the frustration clear on her face when she met his eyes.

"Nothing. I don't recognize them at all—"

"That one. Third from the left in the third row."

Many eyes shot to Scarlett in surprise. Since Kim arrived, she hadn't spoken a word, sitting stoic and blank-faced beside an increasingly worked up Rosalie. Now, however, her lips were pursed grimly, eyes locked on the paper, her free fist clenched atop her folded legs. Sensing that this may be his chance to get her cooperation, and relying on his thirty years of working for the FBI, Kim took a chance nobody expected.

"Will you show me?"

Scarlett watched him slide a blank sheet of paper across the table, a pencil rolling after it. Her eyes flicked from the tabletop to Kim's face, questioning and wary, but not mistrustful. A few seconds passed before she sighed, long and low, edging her way off the sofa to sit cross-legged on the carpet, a mirror image of Kim's position. To everyone's surprise, she gingerly reached for the pencil. Clasping it in an awkward hold reminiscent of a toddler's, she looked around at the supportive faces spread throughout the room.

Brows almost joined in concentration, the blonde gripped the pencil and lowered it shakily to the paper, her mind conjuring the face of the other man responsible for ruining her life.

For ruining Rosalie's life, and the lives of their families.

It had been twelve years, yet Scarlett was still perfectly able to recall the man. His unclean smell and narrow face would be forever ingrained in her memory. After all, she'd faced him many times within her nightmares.

A thin face with lank, greasy black hair clinging to his head and narrowed eyes pressed itself behind Scarlett's eyes. Her hand began to fly across the page with startling speed and accuracy. Details, which most eyes would have missed were captured on the page, lines appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Grimacing, Scarlett recalled the way one of his eyebrows had a nick in the center. A scar.

Without a word, Kim tossed her a small white eraser, watching with raised eyebrows as the man came to life at Scarlett's hand.

The silence was loud when the scratching of the pencil on paper ceased.

Blue-green eyes bolted open. She'd been drawing with her eyes closed, trying to remember every detail.

As soon as they landed on the face in front of her, Scarlett's eyes overflowed with tears. Riley knew then; this was him. The Accomplice, as he'd been dubbed.

Kim told Riley, with a wordless look over his shoulder, to stay back. He returned his gaze to a teary-eyed Scarlett, glancing down at the drawing. The details were compelling. In his fifteen years working as a forensic artist, Kim had never seen such talent from someone with no formal training or years to hone their craft. As his eyes moved over the picture, he realized a glaringly obvious feature was missing.

"Scarlett, is there a reason you haven't drawn his eyes?"

Scarlett shuddered violently. "I c-can't…"

Rosalie sat forward and wrapped a trembling arm around her sister, soothing her with a gentle reassurance that they were home, safe, and surrounded by people who'd protect them.

"It's okay, Scarlett," Riley interjected. He stepped forward, placing a hand on his colleague's shoulder. "She's done. We can fill in the rest."

Unknowingly, in letting her off the hook, Riley did the exact opposite. Hearing him say that 'she's done,' Scarlett felt a punch to her gut because she knew she wasn't. The drawing wasn't. Something about leaving the sketch unfinished left an awful taste in her mouth. Glancing up at Charlie, she saw tears in the eyes he'd passed down to her. His pain was clear as day, as was the lingering surprise that his daughter obviously had an incredible latent talent. She'd been good at art at school but hadn't had the opportunity to work on it in the years since her abduction. And yet, despite this enormous, twelve-year gap between opportunities to draw, Scarlett had retained her talent.

In the knowing, almost proud, look Kim gave her, Scarlett was suddenly sure he'd expected her reaction to his request. _Will you show me?_ With a bolt of clarity, she remembered Edward's words to her, earlier that morning. He'd asked to see a scar; she'd shown him. She'd trusted him not to judge her, so why should this task be any different? It was just a different scar, after all.

"I…I'll try."

Kim smiled in encouragement, mustache twitching. If it weren't for the way her stomach was tying itself in knots, Scarlett might have smiled at the sight of his thick walrus mustache dancing with the movement of his smile.

Hand visibly shaky, Scarlett's eyes instinctively slid shut as she added the final touches to her drawing.

From her side, Rosalie shivered as the thin, shrewd eyes took up residence on either side of the nose Scarlett had pointed out, then recreated perfectly. Across the table, Kim fought a shudder of his own, the sinister tilt of the man's lips combined with the evil expression Scarlett captured in his eyes creating a frighteningly striking villain.

The room fell still and silent once more in time with the muted tap of the pencil hitting the table. Scarlett shifted herself up onto the sofa and attempted to bury herself in the cushions while Rosalie moved to embrace her. In the meantime, Kim turned the drawing so that he, and Riley, could see it in its entirety.

"Are we done now?" Peter asked from across the room.

Riley met his eyes and nodded. "Yes. I think we are. Thank you for your help, girls. We'll keep you updated, I promise."

Neither Scarlett nor Rosalie separated their bowed-together heads to acknowledge him, not that he expected them to. Their eyes were closed tight, lips moving in almost silent whispers to reassure one another that they were now safe.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Yep, this really is another early update! I've (stupidly)  
agreed to an overtime shift tomorrow at work, so I'll be  
tired and cranky, and reading any reviews left tonight  
or tomorrow will cheer me up :) *hint hint* ;)**

 **So, as always - biggest, most ginormous THANK YOUs to  
** annaharding **and** SunflowerFran **  
Without both of you ladies PP would be a right  
ole mess. Thank you both, from the bottom of my heart.**

 **And thank you to all of YOU wonderful people  
who take the time to read and review. It truly  
does mean a lot to me. I know I'm useless sometimes  
at responding, but please know that I adore how  
invested you've all become in these characters and  
** **their world. It makes my heart happy!  
**

 **A lot of you have mentioned Edward and Scarlett,  
and their ever-strengthening bond. A couple of people  
have questioned the pace of this story, saying that it's  
evolving too slowly? I'm sorry you feel that way, but I  
don't feel that Scarlett - or Rosalie! - would just 'get over'  
twelve years of abuse because a nice boy smiles at them.  
Edward IS lovely, but he's not a sorcerer, and their relationship  
will evolve both gradually and organically.**

 ***** Tissue Warning***  
Mentions of abuse and mild violence in this chapter.  
If this makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to  
message me and I'll send you a different version with  
a summarised section where the abuse takes place. It's  
no bother!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

In the dead of night, a lone silhouette sat solemnly on the patio. Smoke drifted upward toward the inky sky, spiraling through the air in messy swirls. The non-existent breeze left the young man feeling too warm and too sticky in the humid garden, his ribbed black vest clinging unashamedly to his skin. His ears didn't detect the arrival of another until she was standing beside him.

"Edward?"

Dark green eyes met light blue-green, his lips turning up into a lopsided, dimpled grin. "Bella. Can't sleep?"

"Too hot." Scarlett struggled to crouch – her bump larger by the hour, it seemed – but eventually settled herself on the patio, her back beside Edward's against the wall. He hurried to stub out his cigarette. Their legs were stretched out next to each other. A snort bubbled up from his throat when he glanced down to see that her bare toes only just reached his calves.

" _Cristo, tu sei piú breve di quello che pensavo._ "

Scarlett's eyes left the grass, lit only by the moonlight, to find Edward's profile. When his eyes met hers, he realized his mistake, recognizing the confusion within their depths. "Sorry," he chuckled. "Sometimes I forget that not everyone speaks Italian. I said, 'Christ, you're shorter than I thought,' Bella Bean."

In the light of the moon, Scarlett's lips drifted upward into a soft, little smile, her hands resting on her bump. Their height difference of almost a foot was something she'd noticed many times, as well as, his cheerful personality, and the obvious muscles that screamed his strength. In the past few weeks, their bond had steadily grown stronger, and those things didn't scare her anymore.

Loose strings from their childhood had strengthened into the toughest of ropes; steel bindings making them more unbreakable than ever. No-one could have anticipated the way she'd attach herself so inextricably to her older brother's friend; a boy she'd once shared a friendship with herself.

"It's not my fault you're freakishly tall," she teased, liking the way it felt on her tongue and in her heart. She'd forgotten how to tease. Or how it felt to tease, anyway.

Edward grinned, lopsided and bracketed by twin dimples. "I'm actually only a little taller than average. _You_ , on the other hand," he reached out a hand, placing it atop her head so that most of her crown was covered by a large palm and splayed fingers. Instead of feeling restricted, Scarlett felt emboldened by his playful behavior, as well as never-endingly grateful that he didn't handle her with the same kid-gloves everybody else wore in her presence. "You could almost pass for one of Snow White's dwarves."

"There's nothing wrong with Snow White's dwarves, Edward," Scarlett sniffed haughtily, eyes twinkling with the mirth she so rarely felt, let alone showed.

"Touché, touché. So, how're you feeling now? After Kim was here, I mean."

Scarlett's face belied her surprise that he would think to bring it up. But then, wasn't that one of the things she liked best about him? That he didn't tiptoe?

"I…" Frowning in annoyance at herself as well as her inability to voice how she felt, Scarlett trailed off. "I'm okay. It was just a shock, you know? To see his face. And I'd forgotten how much I liked drawing."

Edward chuckled wryly, reaching up to adjust his backward gray cap. "It was amazing. How could you forget a talent like that? Now that I think about it, you were a really good artist back in school. Your dad probably has a bunch of your masterpieces somewhere."

She shrugged, awkwardness blanketing her as she tucked her legs as close to her chest as she could manage with the bump in the way, arms wrapped around them. When Edward glanced down at her, he was hit with the most startling sense of longing to wrap her in his arms and never let go. Her hair was a moonlit, curly, golden halo around her sad face, eyes peering up at him shyly. Her body betrayed her vulnerability, the life she was growing now an obvious presence in the form of an enormous bump. Edward had never felt more drawn to a person.

"Bella, I—"

"Mommy? Ed-wood?" The fact that Scarlett didn't hear her daughter's footsteps until she was standing in the doorway was a testament to how distracting Edward's intense gaze could be.

"Here, baby girl. What's the matter?" Scarlett uncurled her legs, letting Marley perch on her thighs, leaning over the bump housing her baby brother or sister to rest a weary head against her mother's chest.

"Nightmare," Marley mumbled. She'd heard the word before but never said it.

Scarlett wished it was a word her daughter never had to utter.

"Oh, little sweet. That sucks." Edward reached out, gently tickling the shell of Marley's ear. She giggled. It was a sweet, doll-like sound Scarlett already lived for, despite having only heard it a handful times in Marley's five years of life. "Don't you know that nightmares are just pretend?"

Marley turned her head to face Edward, a sweet kink between her brows. "Pretend?"

"It's not real, little sweet. It can't hurt you. You just have to wake up, and the nightmare is gone. Poof!" He mimed a cloud puffing into the air, leaning over to rest the tip of his nose against the tip of Marley's. She giggled again, wrinkling her nose and giving him an Eskimo kiss. Edward admitted to himself that he wanted to hear more of her laughter, see more of her smiles. He'd do anything, silly or otherwise, to earn them.

"Otay, Ed-wood. I just wake— _yawn_ —up."

Edward chuckled and shared a smile with Scarlett, filing away the wistful look in her eyes to be revisited later as she gazed at him with Marley. "I think it's time for sleep, little sweet. You look real tired."

Scarlett struggled to her feet, only just managing it with Marley still clinging to her torso. It wouldn't be long before picking her up would be all but impossible, her small frame already struggling with the heft of her quickly growing midsection. "C'mon, baby girl. Mummy will tuck you in."

"Ed-wood?" Marley reached for Edward, looking between him and her mother pleadingly, her eyes half-lidded.

"I'll come, I promise. Bedtime it is."

Edward paused only long enough to lock the French doors and switch off the outside light, trailing after Scarlett as she made her way up the stairs at a slow waddle, Marley already well on her way to sleep against her shoulder. When they reached Scarlett's room, he switched on the nightlight by the door for her, watching with soft eyes as she carefully laid Marley in her new bed despite knowing she'd be joined in the early hours by a wriggling, elbowing, five-year-old.

"Night, baby girl. Sweet dreams. I love you," Scarlett whispered, pressing a trio of kisses to Marley's forehead as she wriggled down into the covers, only her mussed curls peeking out at the top by the time Edward had crossed the room.

"I guess I'll say—oh, there you are," he whispered amusedly, leaning down to kiss Marley's forehead when she tugged the covers down a few inches at the sound of his voice. "Night, little sweet. Remember, you just have to wake up, okay?"

"Okay, Ed-wood."

With that, she burrowed back down, Scarlett propping the cover up with two of the biggest teddies Charlie had bought her so she could get some fresh air. Then, suddenly feeling shy, she faced Edward.

"So, I guess I'll see you in the morning."

He smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He noticed the shiver that rippled through her body, attributing it to the chill of his hands after being outside for a while. "Sorry. Umm, yeah, tomorrow. I'll help with breakfast."

"You better," she teased, fatigue settling over her like a blanket sent to lull her to sleep. "Night, Edward."

"Night, Bella Bean."

Edward left her in peace, using the bathroom before readying himself to head downstairs to his sofa for the rest of the night. As he passed her room, he couldn't help but peek in; pausing to take in the heartwarming sight of Marley and her mother snuggled together. It had taken Marley all of a few minutes to worm her way into Scarlett's bed, the duo asleep on top of the covers. Marley was sprawled out in her Dalmatian print, all-in-one pajamas, arms and legs akimbo, Mr. Eddie tucked under one arm while soft snores reverberated around the room.

Creating a protective barrier between her and the doorway was the young woman slowly implanting herself under Edward's skin. Her hair was fanned out around her on the pillow, one arm under Marley's head while the other rested along her side, her hand cupping her bump. Dressed in a different pair of his jogging bottoms, and a hoodie with the sleeves pushed up, she was just about the most adorable sight he'd ever seen.

Edward smiled as he finally pulled himself away from the doorway, heading downstairs to the sofa he'd claimed as his own.

As he drifted between awake and asleep, Edward found himself imagining a petite silhouette wading through the shallow ocean waves on Eastbourne beach. Golden blonde locks with a hint of strawberry flew free in the breeze. A little girl with hair as rich as chocolate bounced along at her side, a baby stumbling along in the sand ahead.

Only as he slipped into a deep slumber did a man appear.

A man with copper colored hair and green eyes full of love for the trio he followed.

 **~ oOo ~**

American Independence Day went uncelebrated in England, but when the Fourth of July arrived, Scarlett and Rosalie were awake in their respective houses without the help of alarms. Rosalie had crept through the broken fence panel an hour before the sun met the horizon, letting herself in with the spare key. As she expected, Scarlett was there waiting.

Palms resting shoulder-width apart on the counter, eyes trained intently on the darkened garden through the kitchen window, she was still and silent as a statue.

"You too?" Rosalie asked solemnly. Scarlett nodded as Rosalie slid a hand around her waist, resting it on the side of her bump. Their heads tilted in unison, strawberry-blonde locks twining with Rosalie's sunnier toned strands. The sun had lightened her hair considerably, the red tint almost gone.

"I need a favor," Scarlett said after a little while.

"Anything," Rosalie promised, confused at first when Scarlett explained what she wanted, but understanding once she'd heard her reasoning.

The girls were just finishing their task two hours later when Charlie's alarm told him it was time to get ready for work. He trudged downstairs in paint-splattered jeans, an old t-shirt, and hoodie, and thick socks to pad out his work boots. To his surprise, the girls were already in the kitchen when he tiptoed into the room, mindful not to wake Edward on the way past.

"Oh, you're u—" He cut off abruptly when he caught sight of Scarlett.

She stood near the sink, drying the ends of her hair with a towel. The hair, which had been his strawberry-blonde when he left her last night, but was now Archie's rich chocolate brown.

"Please don't be mad," she rushed out quietly, beseeching him with her eyes to listen before saying anything. He remained silent, so she continued. "I needed a change, Dad. I kept looking at myself in the mirror and seeing a victim. I don't want to look like that anymore, does that make sense? I just need to be different."

Charlie wasn't sure what to make of his daughter's drastic hair change. Obviously, she looked the same otherwise, facially and still all-belly, but he was struggling to get his head round the darker locks surrounding her mother's face.

Until he realized something crucial; she _was_ different. She'd been different to what he'd expected to find when he boarded that plane to Montana two months ago, and she hadn't stopped surprising him since then. Nothing about Scarlett was how he'd expected, except perhaps her fierce strength, so why should this be any different? Why should dying her hair be a big deal in light of all the other, far more life-changing, differences he'd already accepted?

"I like it," he realized, saying it aloud as he thought it. "It suits you."

Scarlett's nervous wince transformed into a pleased smile, like a chrysalis into a butterfly. "You do?"

Charlie nodded, coughing gruffly. "I do."

"All right, then. Breakfast?"

Before he could respond either way, she was shoving her towel into the washing machine, pulling bacon from the fridge and bread from the cupboard. All Charlie could do was watch, as within a few minutes, bacon started to sizzle atop the stove, and bread appeared on the table buttered and spread with tomato sauce just the way he liked it. Exactly eleven minutes after stepping into the kitchen, Charlie found himself at the table, a bacon sandwich in front of him beside a mug of steaming coffee.

"Uh, thanks, honey," he murmured in bemusement, tucking in slowly.

Scarlett acknowledged his thanks with a dip of her head, re-joining Rosalie at the counter. Rosalie gave her a look, then gazed pointedly at Charlie.

With a sigh, Scarlett caught his eye. "Um, Dad? There was something else I wanted to ask, too…"

Swallowing a bite of his sandwich, Charlie nodded and waved a hand in a 'go on' sort of gesture.

"Well…I'd really like to…what I'm saying is…argh, basically, can you just…"

"She wants to be called 'Bella,' not 'Scarlett,' Uncle Chuck," Rosalie interjected when it became obvious Scarlett wasn't going to be able to get the words out.

Charlie paused mid-chew, setting his sandwich down slowly. His mind worked quickly, and he came to the same conclusion as he had on the hair situation. "That's fine, _Bella_. No problem."

Rosalie and Scarlett— _Bella_ , smiled at each other, gazing out of the window to watch the sun climb into the sky, arms around their waists in silent support.

A pattern emerged as the other occupants of the house trickled into the kitchen. Marley and Carl-Roman were first, Peter letting himself in through the French doors less than a minute later, Edward stumbling into the kitchen only a handful of minutes afterward. The little boy bounded into his Pawpaw's lap, Marley taking her place on Bella's hip, Peter and Edward taking seats at the table. It wasn't until they were all sitting together, Charlie waiting with a secret smile on his lips that the three newcomers noticed.

"You have new hair, Auntie Scarlett!" Carl-Roman cheered, wide-eyed and grinning.

Bella twisted with a nervous smile, tucking a lock of her 'new hair' behind her ear. "I do. Do you like it?"

Carl-Roman contemplated this for a moment, then nodded decisively. "It's pretty."

"Thank you," she whispered, catching Edward's stunned expression for a second before she returned to the breakfast preparations. He stared at her back, at the long, dark waves tumbling over her shoulders to the middle of her spine. It _was_ pretty, like Carl-Roman had said. It suited her. And when she spun to take something from the fridge, Marley content on her hip, their hair tangled together in the exact same shade. He wanted to take a photo to savor forever; they were like clones of each other.

Peter shot a quizzical look at Charlie when he realized the girls were silent again, moving in tandem to serve up breakfast for everybody. Eerily, they made no noise other than the quiet hissing of the bacon fat as it cooked.

"Thank you, girls," Peter said quietly, watching as Rosalie set a bacon sandwich and his usual tea with two sugars in front of him.

Aware that Heidi and Pippa were at school, and Archie was working until ten a.m., the girls turned off the kitchen appliances and drifted out in the garden, Marley still clinging to her mother.

"Did something happen last night?" Charlie asked after a silent pause.

Edward glanced at him, peeling his eyes away from the French doors. "I don't think so. Scarlett was up late last night, but she and Marley went back to bed and seemed fine."

Feeling Charlie and Peter's eyes on him, he tried desperately not to show his disappointment at missing out on what had become his and Bella's new routine; making breakfast together was his favorite part of the day. He was disappointed, but he was also hurt she hadn't included him.

"Could she have had a bad dream? I know Irina said Rosalie should start staying home more, but maybe we're rushing it."

The men looked at each other, their confusion tinged with sadness. They'd all been warned, of course, that the girls would have bad days as well as good ones. It was inevitable. Either way, nobody felt inclined to eat their breakfast with smiles on their faces. Charlie took it upon himself to explain to the group about his daughter's wish to go by 'Bella' from now on, everyone taking it in stride. In light of all the changes and trials they'd faced together so far, trying to remember to call her 'Bella' instead of 'Scarlett' was relatively simple.

Before leaving for work, Charlie and Peter poked their heads outside to say 'goodbye' to Bella, Marley, and Rosalie, rewarded only with waves and whispered 'goodbyes,' leaving Edward to look after Carl-Roman and Chase – who was still sleeping upstairs – until eight, when they went to daycare.

Unsure what to do about the girls, but unwilling to foist his company upon them if they didn't want it, Edward set Carl-Roman up in the front room with his trains and cartoons, Chase in his highchair with a wooden spoon while Edward set about doing the dishes. That he found himself washing and drying up alone was a testament to the girls' obvious distraction, because nobody but the girls had done any kitchen chores since they arrived home.

Though nobody was comfortable with the way Bella and Rosalie were insistent upon doing all of the housework, Irina had told them it was simply their coping mechanism; something familiar. For the moment, she didn't see anything wrong with them clinging to it in the wake of their rescue, so their family and friends were doing their best to come to terms with it. After all, they had more important things to worry about than the girls wanting to do the housework.

 _It could be worse,_ was the mantra they'd all adopted.

 **~ oOo ~**

It was nearing lunchtime when the girls finally entered the kitchen. Carl-Roman and Chase had been dropped to daycare, and Edward had returned to Charlie's to keep a watchful eye on Bella and Rosalie, worried for them. All morning, he hung around in the kitchen on the laptop his parents had shipped to him when he called to apologize for his prolonged absence.

Enrico and Contessa – or Connie, as she preferred to be called - Cullen were kind, giving, compassionate people, and didn't hesitate to send their well-wishes to both families. They also sent some of Edward's possessions, Enrico telling Edward to stay in England as long as he needed before returning to Italy; he would look after his house for him.

Telling himself he was thirsty, Edward lifted himself from the table, his legs protesting the long period of sitting still. His eyes swiveled around the garden, landing on the lounge chair the girls had occupied for the past few hours.

To his surprise, the chair was empty.

"Oh, shit," Edward muttered, setting the glass in his hand on the counter with a thud.

"We're here."

Edward spun, cursing a storm at the soft, slightly amused voice behind him. Rosalie's eyes twisted up into a semi-smile, red-rimmed eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Sorry for swearing, but _cazzo_ , you scared me!" He huffed, reaching up to tug at the peak of his cap.

Rosalie's smile widened. "Sorry. It was getting windy, so we came in."

Edward's eyes swung around the kitchen, subconsciously searching for the girl who'd danced behind his eyelids every night as he slept.

"She's gone for a bath, with Marley," Rosalie said, knowing who he was looking for without him having to speak.

"Oh, okay." It was hard for Edward to quell the disappointment he felt. Judging by Rosalie's smug half-smile, he'd failed. "Do you want a drink? Something to eat? You haven't had anything today."

"No, thank you, I'm good." Her smile fell as she spoke, taking a seat on the sofa. Edward suspected she was far from 'good.' He joined her hesitantly, grinning when she rolled her eyes at him. "Don't worry, I don't bite."

"Hey, I just don't want to upset you. It seems like something's done that pretty well already today."

Rosalie turned, eyes narrowed, and Edward cursed his lack of mental filter.

"Sorry, I need to work on my brain-to-mouth filter."

"Quit apologizing, you're fine."

Edward nodded contritely. Rosalie cocked her head to one side, now amused. "I sorta see why Scar—uh, Bella likes having you around so much."

It took a few seconds for her words to sink in and when they finally did, Rosalie was almost struck dumb by the so-very-handsome smile he graced her with. He hadn't shaved in a few days, so his jaw was covered in a smattering of dark scruff; the overall combination of that, his messy hair sticking out from beneath his trademark baseball cap – she was sure it had been surgically attached to his head –, and the grin on his face was downright indecent.

For Rosalie, a girl who'd spent years silently observing while Bella looked out for her, it wasn't hard to see there was something developing between Edward and Bella. Something stronger than all of them, something unstoppable. Their bond was visibly stronger than a simple friendship, that was for sure. It was the only reason Rosalie had agreed to start sleeping in her own home again because if it weren't for Edward's presence, she wasn't sure Bella would be coping as well as she was. It had been days since her last panic attack, almost a week since a nightmare attacked her sleep, though Rosalie knew she'd come perilously close to fending off a panic attack earlier that morning. Goosebumps erupted all over her body at the thought of the date.

 _The Fourth of July…_

Unbidden, a memory stole away her senses, catapulting her back _there_.

 _The strong, acrid smell of cleaning fluid stirred the young girl awake. Blue-green eyes peeled open slowly, their groggy owner groaning quietly as the throbbing in the back of her head became more noticeable._

" _Scarlett? Scarlett, he's gone. P-please wake up, Scarlett. I'm scared."_

 _Rosalie's terrified face moved into Scarlett's line of vision, her wide baby-blues overflowing with tears. They fell onto Scarlett's scratchy, too-big, gray t-shirt._

" _I-I'm awake," she rasped, shifting onto her elbows. The movement sent a ringing, stabbing pain through her entire body, nausea churning in her gut as she tried to stay upright and conscious._ My sister needs me, _she repeated on a loop, over and over. Rosalie helped her sit up with trembling hands. "What hap-happened?"_

" _He h-h-hit you. You f-fell and hit your head o-on the floor. Are you okay?"_

" _I'm fine. I'm good. Help me up, please?"_

 _Rosalie hurried to her feet, gently pulling Scarlett with her. The girls pressed themselves together, the small girl having to hold her pseudo sister as she shook under the strain of keeping her stomach settled. "All right," she breathed shakily, "let's get up to our roo—"_

 _A loud, menacing voice cut her off and sent shivers down their spines. Their hearts raced with fear. "You're not going anywhere until you've cleaned up this mess. Get it done before I go to bed or there'll be hell to pay, you hear?"_

 _Neither girl could stomach looking towards the tall man in the doorway, let alone talk to him, so they nodded jerkily and whimpered once he'd left them alone. As soon as they heard the study door close down the hall, Scarlett fell to the floor, Rosalie's support not enough to fight the agony of her pounding head._

" _Scarlett!" Rosalie hissed tearfully, sinking to her knees. She didn't know where to put her hands, or what to do to help._

" _Just give me a second…" As Scarlett fell, her arm shot out in a weak attempt to hold herself up, knocking over a bowl of pureed raspberries for the dessert_ he _had insisted upon. As Rosalie's hands hovered nervously over Scarlett, the red puree spread across the floor around her in a sticky, oozing mess._

 _The symbolism wasn't lost on either girl. Neither was the date on the calendar hanging a few feet away._

 _July 4_ _th,_ _2004._

"Hey, are you okay?" Rosalie snapped back to the present with a gasp. It confused her when Edward was blurry, the hand he placed on her forearm out of focus. It took a minute for her to realize why; she had tears pouring from her eyes.

"Oh God, sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Hey, now who needs to quit apologizing?" Gently handing her a bunch of tissues from the box on the side-table, Edward smiled softly at his upset friend. Rosalie tipped her head up to smile, grateful for his innately friendly nature. It was at times like this one she saw why Bella liked him so much. He was an easy man to love.

"What? What's wrong?"

Rosalie stared at him with wide, new eyes as she reconsidered her own thoughts. She loved him, of course, but as a friend. A pillar of support, fun, and smiles when times were tough – both now, and in the past. But thinking back on the way he and Bella interacted, the way they seemed to seek each other out without even realizing…Could they be heading towards less-than-platonic love?

It was a startling thought; one Rosalie would often ponder in the coming days.

 **~ oOo ~**

True to the promise they'd made earlier in the morning, Charlie and Peter arrived bang on five 'o clock with Archie and Kristen in tow. Having met their older brother's fiancée a few times by then, Bella and Rosalie were relatively comfortable with her presence, though due to her chilly nature neither of them harbored particularly fuzzy feelings towards their future sister-in-law.

Charlie and Peter headed straight to the kitchen, where they joined Edward, Rosalie, Bella, and Marley. Archie and Kristen paused in the living room so Kristen could greet her sons. She'd been away in New York with her boss, one of the downsides to being his assistant being the travel that so often took her away from Carl-Roman and Chase. Archie forced his mouth closed into a tight smile when he spotted the disapproving frown on his fiancée's face, clearly unhappy about Carl-Roman's outfit. Having come from a family of lawyers, bankers, and doctors, Kristen would much rather her sons be dressed smartly at all times. In a simple pair of soft jeans and a cotton, check shirt Chase would avoid scrutiny.

Unsurprisingly, the lime green and bright blue t-shirt and comic strip printed board shorts weren't up to scratch, nor were the navy surfboard patterned shorts Archie was wearing; she knew better than to tell him what to wear, though.

"Evening, buddy," Edward said jovially as he passed Archie, Kristen, and their boys in the hall. He smiled at his friend's fiancée. "Kristen, you look pretty today."

Archie huffed in amusement when Kristen barely managed to conceal her grimace. "Still the same old charmer, I see."

"Of course!"

"Uncle Edward, can I be a charmer, also?"

Edward chuckled, scooping Carl-Roman into his arms.

"Course you can, _campione_." Thanks to the amount of time they'd spent together in recent weeks, Carl-Roman knew that 'campione' was simply 'champion' in Italian, so he beamed, directing Edward back towards the kitchen with his parents and baby brother close behind them.

The unhappy expression that had taken up residence on Bella's face melted away as soon as Edward re-entered the room with Carl-Roman grinning from his arms. The sight was heart-warming to say the least, the pair of them sporting mile-wide smiles, Edward purposefully jostling the little boy until his giggles filled the room. Warm butterflies erupted in Bella's stomach, her hands drifting to rest over the spot where her baby wriggled. He or she always seemed to move when the children laughed, or when Edward was around.

Her eyes followed Edward's face as he tipped it back and let out a playful roar. Despite her fear of loud noises and hatred of being around lots of people with no way to keep track of everybody, Bella felt content with her family around her. Sure, her heartbeat was slightly faster than it should have been, and okay, so maybe her eyes were running routine patrols of the room, cataloguing even the most minute adjustments in people's positions.

But those routine scans of the room? They were every few minutes now, instead of the continuous loops she'd been doing a week ago. And her heart was calmer than it had been in weeks. There was a long way to go before she'd be comfortable in a group, but there had been so many improvements that it was becoming increasingly difficult to see the things that were still wrong.

"What do you think, Bella? Do you think we should put this one in there and have him for dinner?"

Edward pulled Bella from her thoughts by tipping Carl-Roman upside-down to make him shriek in protest. His eyes – _her_ eyes – widened in his little face, his mouth in an adorable 'o.'

"Hmmm," she hummed, smirking at her nephew and friend. "Do you think he's chunky enough? There's a lot of us eating tonight."

Edward frowned playfully, tipping Carl-Roman back so he could inspect his tummy. "I'd say so. There's plenty there for us all to nibble on."

"All right then," Bella said, playing along. "I'll get a bigger pot."

"No! Daddy, save me 'fore Auntie Bella and Uncle Edward _cook me!_ " Carl-Roman wailed in a mixture of horror and childish delight, squealing and rolling and trying to buck himself free from Edward's hold. Bella and Edward both laughed as Archie plucked him from Edward's hands, the six-year-old bestowing the best stink-eye he could manage upon the chortling pair. "Meaners," he mumbled, sticking his tongue out over Archie's shoulder as he carried him to Charlie and Peter, who were laughing heartily by the French doors.

"Yeah, Edward, you're a meaner," Bella teased, turning back to the bolognese on the stove.

"Oh, but so are you, _bella ragazza_. So are you."

Ducking behind the curtain of her dark hair, Bella felt the apples of her cheeks pinking. _Bella ragazza_ …pretty girl. It had become Edward's go-to nickname when he didn't use 'Bella' or 'Bean' and despite not understanding why, Bella couldn't help but admit to herself that she preferred when he slipped into his first language. The sound of his lips wrapping around the foreign words…it made her warm and tingly. Though surprising, the term of endearment he'd begun using without seeming to realize was in no way unwelcome, nor was the silky-soft but somehow rough timbre he used when speaking Italian.

"So, is there anything I can help with, chef?"

"Um, I suppose you can lay the table? Marley will probably help."

Edward loosely draped an arm around Bella's shoulders, his hand squeezing her upper arm before he released her. "I _want_ to help. Quit worrying I'm going to get offended or something."

She tipped her head to the side just enough that she could see his face. She wanted to see if he was telling the truth. His sincere expression as he bent at the knees to make their faces level said it all.

"Hey, I mean it. I'm not going anywhere." With that, he smiled and left her to get on with dinner, scooping Marley from the breakfast bar to help him with the table. She was only too happy to help her idol.

It was then, watching Edward chat cheerily with her daughter and the rest of their family that the realization slammed into Bella's gut with the force of a wrecking ball.

If there was one thing she wanted, one thing she could ask for, it was for Edward never to leave her side.

The realization both terrified her and electrified the blood in her veins.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**~ oOo ~**

 **No, your eyes do not deceive you - this is another  
early update! I figured my British friends could  
do with a pick-me-up after a stressful political week.  
**

 **Although, on reflection, I'm not sure how much  
this chapter will cheer you up...**

 **Anyways, hugemungous thank yous to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
for making Pinky Promises beautiful!**

 **And a special Happy Birthday to  
** annaharding **! You've become a wonderful  
friend and I hope you're having a lovely day.**

 **Welcome to all new readers, and big hugs  
to all you wonderful reviewers! The past couple  
weeks have been manic so I've been a fail at  
responding, but please know that I get a kick  
out of reading your theories and kind words  
when I get the chance.**

 *****TISSUE WARNING***  
Drama** **ahead!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

The beige walls crept closer. A plain white clock with a broken hand ticked ominously with every passing second. The overhead fan stirred the leaves of a slightly wilted fern. A fat, beady-eyed pigeon stared into the room from the window ledge.

Blue-green eyes flicked rhythmically from the pigeon's eager face to an impassive one across the room. Less than two meters separated the only two occupants and yet, to Bella, it felt like the Grand Canyon.

With the sudden sound of a voice, the walls snapped back to their rightful place, and the clock was drowned out by the rush of Bella's thoughts refilling her brain.

"How are you feeling today, Bella?"

She shrugged, her tense shoulders jumping a little.

"We can sit here in silence for the entire hour if you'd like, but I don't think it will help you in the long run."

Bella met the eyes of Irina Denali, the woman with whom she was to spend three hours a week, as per her doctor's instructions and her dad's need to see her well. Rosalie's session had finished twenty minutes before, Bella's beginning less than five minutes afterwards. As yet, Irina's earlier greeting and her more recent enquiry into her wellbeing were the only words that had been spoken.

Bella huffed in frustration. "I can't…" She trailed off.

"You can't, what?" Irina spoke softly, just as Megan had. In the pale, almost sterile environment of her office, even that softness wasn't enough to completely relax Bella. She was annoyed with her new shape, unable to curl up like she wanted because her bump was in the way, so she was sitting sideways in an armchair opposite Irina, studiously avoiding her psychologist's gaze.

As many times as she'd been there by now, Bella was still unused to being away from the house; Irina had suggested she work on that. A fear of leaving the house was the last thing Bella needed, so Irina said. Bella was, unsurprisingly, reluctant to accept her suggestion.

"Would you prefer if I spoke? You can answer with gestures if you'd like. It'll be a temporary solution until you're feeling more comfortable." Grateful for the reprieve, Bella dropped her head in a single nod. "All right." As she paused to gather herself, Bella took in Irina's wavy, white-blonde hair, and the way it moved with her head as she jotted notes on the pad in her lap.

 _What is she writing if I haven't said anything?_ She wondered.

"Your dad tells me that you and Rosalie have been working on my previous suggestion," the psychologist began. Immediately, she noticed the way Bella's body slumped. "You don't like it?"

Newly chocolate curls bounced with Bella's negative headshake.

"I didn't expect you to," Irina admitted easily, her lips twisted into a smile. "It's a _huge_ adjustment for the both of you, and for Marley. To be honest, I didn't expect you to take to it so quickly. I thought you'd put up more of a fight."

 _It never paid for me to fight before_.

"But I guess that's more of an ingrained habit than a choice the pair of you have made, am I right?" The way Bella's eyes shot to Irina's for the first time this session told her everything she needed to know. "No, I don't read minds," Irina sighed ruefully, "although, it sure would help, huh? I've spent a lot of time studying cases like yours, getting to know people who were victims, just the same as you were."

Bella's brows furrowed at the word she hated to hear in regard to herself. _Victim_. It made her feel somehow _less_ , as though she wasn't a full person because she'd been victimized. A lot of people were victims of life, but they didn't all end up spending hours with a psychologist, or wind up with a pathological fear of work boots, crowds they couldn't monitor, or loud noises.

"Rosalie tells me you've been spending more time with extended family, friends, and neighbors."

Not for the first time, Bella was glad she and Rosalie had given Irina permission to share the content of their sessions with one another, as well as their dads. She nodded, just a tiny dip of her head as she waited to see where Irina was going with this subject.

"Do you enjoy seeing them? Your aunt, uncle, cousins? Your neighbors?"

Another nod, this one more definitive than the last. Irina smiled, having expected that response.

"And your brother. You're more comfortable with him now?"

Nod.

"Good! That's good."

A rock settled itself in Bella's stomach because she saw where Irina's eyes moved next – the dark blue t-shirt she'd borrowed from Edward.

"I understand his friend is staying at your father's house, too."

It wasn't a question, so Bella kept her lips pursed. She felt protective of her relationship with Edward, of their rekindling friendship, especially the nickname he'd given her. The last thing she wanted was for Irina to dissect it, or turn it into something it wasn't.

 _We're just friends_ , Bella recited to herself.

"Does Rosalie often spend time with you and Edward?"

"Sometimes…" the question caught Bella off-guard, and she answered verbally. "Why?"

Irina's smile was _almost_ smug as she replied off-handedly, "I was just wondering. Do you feel as if your friendship with Rosalie is lessening at all now that she's staying at her house, while you're at yours, with Edward?"

"Of course not! That's…that's ridiculous!" Bella's eyes glowed incandescent with anger. How dare she insinuate that Bella was replacing Rosalie? After everything they'd been through, there was no way any relationship would ever be as strong as theirs.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you, that wasn't my intention, Bella." Something about the woman's face told Bella she was sorry, but there was another emotion there, too. Almost like…pride? "When you're at home, cooking breakfast, cleaning up, or just relaxing, who is it you feel most relaxed with?"

Blue-green eyes turned stormy with indecision, the strong mind behind them contemplating her thoughts closely. Charlie had become a support all over again, his gruff, quiet nature making him easy to be around. Bella didn't have to worry about him hovering, which she liked.

Peter, her dear Uncle Pete, was a calming influence. He always had been. Despite his over six-foot frame and semi-muscular shape, he came off as a gentle giant.

Heidi and Pippa, Bella was ashamed to admit, were probably amongst the people she made the least effort to spend time with. Their chirpiness, high-pitched enthusiasm, and endless teenage drama made them difficult to relate to. They'd grown into lovely, obviously-caring girls, but Bella couldn't reconcile them with the young twins she remembered.

Then there was Archie. His boyish, playful nature had stayed the course, though he was always on hand with gentle encouragement when it was needed. Kristen, though apparently a good mother to her nephews and fiancée to her brother, rubbed Bella the wrong way with her standoffish nature. Ever-observant, she'd noticed the fierce glare on Kristen's face whenever she got close to Chase or Carl-Roman when they were both around the boys. Not that she was around often. Archie and the boys spent a lot of time with the family, while Kristen seemed to prioritize work.

That brought Bella's thoughts to Carl-Roman and Chase. Rays of sunshine in a sometimes cloudy life, Bella adored those boys almost as much as she adored Marley and her unborn sibling. With every beaming grin Carl-Roman bestowed upon her, every gummy chuckle Chase released when she tickled his chubby belly, they reminded Bella of why she needed to get better. She wanted to be the best auntie she could be to her adorable nephews.

On the periphery of her thoughts, Bella had to acknowledge that, lingering in the back of her mind when she was around any of her family members, Rosalie included, there was a strong, vibrant undercurrent of guilt saturating her every breath.

 _If I'd tried to escape before, would we have had all this sooner? Did I hold us back? Did I fail them all?_

Then, like a pair of arms engulfing her, Bella felt her body warm through. She had to bite back a happy hum. _Edward_. He brought so much to her life without even knowing it. A simple arm over her shoulder or a smile on his always-happy face brightened her mood whether she let herself show it or not. His crooked smile, easy-going friendliness, the never-abating warmth emanating from his skin, and the bond she'd witnessed growing between him and her daughter all combined to make him the person that made inhaling an automatic bodily function, rather than the chore it had once been. He was easy and uncomplicated, and never asked anything of her that she wasn't willing to give.

"Bella?"

She gasped and was pulled abruptly back into the reality of the little armchair in the psychologist's office. "Could you try to share your thoughts with me?"

"Edward. It's Edward. Your question before, about who I'm most relaxed with. It's…it's Edward.

Irina masked her surprise at Bella's outburst, shifting in her chair while making notes on her pad. "Could you explain that?"

Bella frowned. "He's just…he's always there when I need him. He makes it easier to breathe."

"That's a great start, thank you. When you say he makes it easier to breathe, how does he do that? What does he do, or say, that helps you?"

"When I'm near Edward, it's like…I don't know how to explain it."

"It's okay, take your time," Irina said softly, smiling in that reassuring way Bella was sure psychologists learned in college. "You're doing so well, Bella."

Bella nodded, the frustration still evident on her face. "He's warmth. That sounds weird, but…I feel cold all the time, and being near Edward makes me feel warm. It's like, he just smashes through everything, all the bad stuff, and makes it evaporate, so I don't have to deal with it for a while."

Blue-green eyes met surprised but proud ice-blue.

Bella steeled herself. "He soaks up all the bad, so I can feel good, and I don't think he even realizes he does it." Emboldened by the shocking feeling of freedom garnered by releasing all of her pent-up thoughts, Bella sat a little straighter in the chair, cradling her bump. "It feels like I've been paused for the last twelve years and now my blood is running again. Just hugging him makes me feel stronger, makes me feel a million times lighter. Sometimes it's like he can see right through me, and I know I should be terrified of that, but it's just…it's _liberating_. I never thought it would happen, but I can't see my life without him in it, and we've only been friends again for a month and a half."

Bella's remaining breath leaked out of her in a long, drawn-out huff of a sigh, which left her feeling equal parts empty and relieved.

Irina's beaming smile was wider than Bella had ever seen it. She nodded; her hand paused over the notepad in her lap. "Bella, have you considered the reasons for you feeling more inclined to relax around Edward, someone you saw only fleetingly as a child, as opposed to your family or Rosalie?"

Bella shook her head, suddenly feeling weary.

"May I share my suspicion?" When Bella nodded, Irina continued. "All right. Please answer these questions. Briefly, if you prefer, but some of them may require longer answers."

"Okay."

"Right, good." Irina inhaled a deep breath. "When I say 'dad,' what is the first emotion that comes to mind, the first emotion you feel?"

Without thinking, Bella blurted the first word that popped into her head. It only shocked one of them. "Guilt."

"Why do you feel guilt when you think of your dad?"

Frowning, she admitted, "because I doubted him. I doubted that he'd find us, and thought he'd give up searching."

"So you thought he'd give up on you?"

Too ashamed to answer, Bella stared at the carpet under her feet, realizing that she almost couldn't see it over her large bump.

"Rosalie."

"I didn't fight hard enough," Bella whispered, tears springing to her eyes. "I lied to my best friend, my sister. She didn't deserve that."

"And you didn't deserve having to take care of yourself and your sister in such horrific circumstances, but you did it." Soothing though her voice may be, it fell on deaf ears.

Bella was remembering all the times she'd lied to Rosalie over the years, whether to stop her from asking questions about what had happened in the study, whether Charlie and Peter were still looking for them, or why they had to pretend that Garrett Smith was their dad, day-in, day-out. In her mind, she saw the day Garrett threw her into the bedroom where Rosalie was waiting, and she'd had to listen to her whimpers, while stifling her own, as she explained the charade they had to play until their rescue. Dozens of cuts, bruises, and scars flitted in a seemingly, never-ending reel behind Bella's eyes. Rosalie's watery, baby-blues hovered on the sidelines of each and every memory, her tears soaking into the deepest recesses of Bella's mind.

"She trusted me, and I abused that."

Irina was about to speak, but Bella cut her off, pushing up on the armrests to heave herself to her feet.

"I can't do this. Can I go now? Please?"

Irina's eyes softened as she gazed at the emotionally wrought, heavily pregnant young woman in front of her. "Of course. I'll see you Friday, Bella. Take care."

With that, Bella spun on her heel and left the room as quickly as she could. Charlie, Peter, and Rosalie, all seated in the waiting area, watched through shocked eyes as Bella threw the door open and waddled out. The session wasn't due to finish for another ten minutes.

The two men, along with Rosalie, followed Bella out to the car park. They found her pacing agitatedly beside Charlie's car.

"Are you okay, honey?" Charlie asked calmly, hiding his worry for his daughter's sake.

"I'm fine, Dad. Can we please go? Now?"

"Sure, sure. Come on then."

The ten-minute drive home was filled with tense, almost hostile silence. Bella couldn't even concentrate on any one bouncing thought long enough to even attempt to dispel it.

When the group arrived on Percival Road, they headed straight indoors. Despite the hindrance her bump had become in recent weeks, Bella was the first inside. Expecting her to hide out in her room the way she usually did after a session with Irina, Charlie was surprised to see her heading for the kitchen. When the trio – Charlie, Peter, and Rosalie – stepped into the room, they were stunned to see a half-smile on Bella's face, Marley wrapped around her legs, her body tucked into Edward's side as he teased her about being able to start dinner earlier than planned.

"Well, I'll be damned…" Charlie breathed.

"You're not kidding, pal," Peter murmured, reaching up to squeeze his friend's shoulder. "She's like a different person."

Unbeknownst to anybody around her, Rosalie's eyes teared just a touch as she spotted the adoration shining from the depths of Bella's azure eyes straight into the jade of Edward's.

 **~ oOo ~**

Hours later, under the cover of darkness, Bella and Rosalie sat on the grass near the fence separating the two gardens. Their hands were linked between them, cross-legged knees touching. With their foreheads pressed lightly together, eyes closed, and breaths soft, anybody watching may have thought they were meditating. A forgiving breeze carried their hair in a gentle arc before laying it back over their shoulders, chocolate waves entwined with dark blonde.

Overhead, the stars shone brightly in an inky black sky, the moon a glowing lantern bathing the garden in its pale light. For once, they were peaceful. Over the sound of crickets chirping in the foliage beyond the fence, cars made short work of the dual carriageway on the other side of the lakes bordering the houses. Hanging between the girls' ears was a set of white headphones, soft music lulling them into a calm, almost meditative state.

The dulcet tones of Kait Weston covering Demi Lovato's _Nightingale_ echoed in their minds long after the song finished and shifted into a slightly more upbeat song. Unthinkingly, Bella's free left hand moved from where it clutched at the grass to her bump, where it fisted the soft material of Edward's hoodie. She'd borrowed it after dinner and her bath, her bottom half ensconced in his gray jogging bottoms once again. In the time she and Rosalie had been back, their fathers had bought them new clothes, but they both preferred the larger items belonging to their loved ones.

It made them feel safe, wrapped in their smells and dwarfed by their size.

"What did you talk about?" Rosalie's voice carried on the breeze, her eyes still closed, breaths perfectly even.

"Feelings. How I feel about certain people. Why I feel that way," Bella's eyelids flickered before opening. "What did you talk about?" This talking session had become routine since their sessions with Irina began. Both girls found it therapeutic.

"Our recovery. Our visit to the hospital next week."

The reminder or their upcoming appointments made Bella tense. She'd been trying to put it out of her mind, not wanting to look weak by admitting she was terrified to be in such a populated place, unable to keep track of all the people who'd doubtlessly be around her. That wasn't even including the doctors she and Rosalie would have to see.

"You," Rosalie added before Bella could worry herself into a panic attack.

"Irina said you mentioned Edward?"

Rosalie nodded, just a slight dip of her head. "She asked who I'm close to, and I mentioned that he's a good friend. Did she talk about him to you, too?"

"Yeah." Bella's brows knotted together in the center of her forehead.

Pulling back a few inches, Rosalie frowned. "You and Edward are close now, and it's probably normal for her to want to talk about our friends, right?" Getting no reaction from Bella, she pushed on tentatively. "I mean…you feel better when he's around, right?"

"I…yeah, I do."

"Exactly. Irina just wants to help, but she needs to know how we're feeling to be able to do that."

"I guess."

Rosalie hummed, lips twitching upwards at her friend's stubborn nature. It was increasingly clear Bella was feeling more and more attached to Edward. Earlier, for example. She'd been all-but shaking with emotion in the car, but within a few minutes of being with Edward, her face had brightened considerably, and she was smiling – albeit, shakily. Rosalie was very aware of Bella's ability to hide her emotions, so she was willing to bet there were more simmering beneath the surface than she'd show. That said, the way her body relaxed as soon as she was close to Edward spoke for itself.

Likewise, the way she'd drifted perilously close to returning to her silent self while Edward had made a weekend trip to visit his dad for his birthday. She'd spent three whole days wandering the house, lost without her sun. Marley hadn't fared much better.

Needless to say, everyone had welcomed Edward back with open arms when he'd returned a day earlier than planned, snapping Bella from the odd mood she'd slipped into in his absence.

A few minutes had passed before Bella huffed. "What?"

"Nothing," Rosalie said gleefully. "I was just thinking."

Bella wasn't convinced, but she nodded anyway. The pair stayed out in the moonlight for another hour before they rose in tandem without a word, making their way to Bella's bed where they fell asleep quickly, hands linked between them on the mattress until Marley crept beneath them, her stomach lifting and dropping their palms as she snored softly.

 **~ oOo ~**

The next day dawned downright mournfully. The sky had darkened in the early hours, rain drenching everything within its reach. At seven, Bella and Rosalie waved Charlie and Peter off to work, returning to the kitchen where Edward was wolfing down his fry-up.

"Enjoying that, are we?" Bella teased softly.

"Definitely!" Edward agreed once he'd swallowed his mouthful. "Best breakfast I've had all day."

Rosalie snickered at his joke – of course, he'd only had the one breakfast that day, though she suspected he'd have many more if they were put in front of him – as Edward tossed a cheeky wink her way, Bella's cheeks pinking at the praise.

"Seriously though," he continued, bringing his pressed-together forefinger and thumb to his lips before smacking them in the recognized Italian gesture for 'delicious,' following it with a lazy, roguish grin that sent butterflies soaring in Bella's stomach. The baby kicked heartily, as he or she usually did when Edward spoke.

Still flushed from Edward's attention, Bella scurried from the room murmuring that she was heading for the bathroom. Rosalie giggled, her eyes following Bella's waddling form before returning to Edward just in time to watch him fit a large forkful of food into his mouth, one of his mirthful jade eyes winking and sparking another round of laughter. "You did that on purpose," she accused.

Edward assumed the most innocent expression he could, swallowing his food. "I would _never_."

As he resumed hoovering up his food, Rosalie snorted indelicately and leaned back against the wall, ankles crossed, arms over her chest. The relaxed way she held herself was completely at odds with the otherwise closed-off stance she'd taken. Gazing out at the sheets of rain pouring from the charcoal gray clouds, Rosalie couldn't help but muse that when it came to distracting both herself and Bella from their troubles, there wasn't much Edward wouldn't do.

It was a heart-warming realization, one that reminded her of a lighter-haired young man whose hobby it had once been to cheer her, Marley, and Bella amidst the hell they'd had to call 'home' for twelve years.

 **~ oOo ~**

Later, once the morning had drifted seamlessly into a mild afternoon, Rosalie took Edward, Bella, and Marley next-door to watch a movie on the larger flat-screen in Peter's living room. As Edward and Bella settled themselves on one part of the L-shaped sofa, Marley took a spot on the other side, patting the cushion beside her with a whispered, "sit here, Auntie Wosie."

Rosalie had cried the first time Marley said her name, even with the 'R' replaced by a 'W' for now. Her speech was improving day by day as she added more and more words to her vocabulary. As she grinned to herself at being chosen to be Marley's movie-watching snuggle-buddy, Rosalie picked up a random DVD from her dad's vast collection before turning to the DVD player. It was fixed to the wall beneath the TV.

"Uh…" A red light eyed her as she tried to deduce what the little symbols on each of the buttons represented. For a girl who'd rarely had the opportunity to use anything more technical than a coffee machine or cooker, it was confusing to see so many new shapes. As a child, she, Archie, Edward, and Bella had spent the majority of their time outside, so she couldn't even rely on those early memories for help.

"Here, let me get that, Rosalie."

Her cheeks flushed a little at the sound of her name wrapped in Edward's lazy, Italian-accented drawl. She handed over the case, sliding swiftly into place between the end of the sofa and Marley's warm little body.

"Right. Drinks? Snacks? Can't watch a movie without 'em," Edward declared, rubbing his hands together.

"I'll get—" Bella instinctively halted, stunned to find herself pinned in place by a green, reproachful gaze.

"Sit. I offered; I'll get them. Just try and relax, okay?" At her bemused frown, he sighed with a soft smile. "You two do a lot for everybody 'round here. Let _me_ do something in return."

Twelve years of being conditioned to expect no help left the girls tongue-tied and a little uncomfortable. They weren't used to other people wanting to do things for them; it was a shock to the system. And up until now, everybody had been too nervous of setting them off to put their foot down and tell them they couldn't do something.

"I…er, Edward," Bella began, trailing off with a tight jaw as she hopelessly fought a burgeoning scowl.

He grinned, flashing pearly white teeth. "Bella, you just stay there and let me get the snacks, or I'll just have to make you."

It surprised everyone when Edward's cheeky declaration didn't appear to frighten Bella.

She squared her shoulders, forcing herself to look nonchalant despite her heart racing with something other than fear for once. She cocked an eyebrow.

Edward was struck by two thoughts as she did this.

The first was that she looked so incredibly like her mother at this moment.

The second was that he was inextricably longing to draw her into his arms and never let go.

It was disorientating in the extreme. In his twenty-seven years, Edward had dated only three noteworthy girlfriends, the last relationship ending almost four years ago. Not one of those women stirred such strong emotions within him as Bella did. He hated and loved it in equal measures. Bella had been through more in her twenty-one years than many people experience in their entire lifetime. The last thing she needed was some old friend from her past pawing at her.

A small voice in the back of his mind reminded Edward that he was her friend, she was his Bella Bean first and foremost, and that he didn't see her as anything more than his friend's little sister. However, even as those thoughts swirled around his brain, it felt wrong to think that way. To think of Bella as 'just a friend.'

But what alternative was there?

Edward turned and stormed into the kitchen, the girls sharing a confused look at his back as he marched away with a troubled tint to his expression.

When he returned a few minutes later, carrying glasses of cold lemonade and a bowl of cheese savories, Bella and Rosalie were disheartened to see that he hadn't shaken the dark look from his face.

 **~ oOo ~**

An hour into the movie, Bella's eyes weren't anywhere near the screen.

Instead, they were fixed on the tanned, slightly calloused fingertips of Edward's right hand. He tapped them rhythmically against his navy and white shorts. His face had run the full spectrum of emotions in the past hour, his eyes switching from troubled and dark, to happy and bright as his thoughts ran laps around his head.

Bella's stomach twisted, the baby kicking sharply against her ribs, as she flicked her eyes upwards to his face, shocked to find herself busted. He cocked his head slightly, silently asking if she was okay. Embarrassed to have been caught staring, and more than a little bemused by the way his gaze made her feel so many foreign emotions, she tipped her head away and stared blankly at the TV screen.

Less than three minutes later they'd returned to Edward's thigh-tapping fingers.

It was only then that she realized that the patterns looked like piano keys. It occurred to her that he was playing the piano on his leg. She wondered whether he actually played, or if it was just a tick and she was reading too much into it.

The pair were both distracted from their thoughts when Marley let out a soft, but audible, snore. They shared an amused glance, peering at Marley and Rosalie curled into one another, both fast asleep. Even when Bella's body shook with silent laughter, neither of them stirred.

"Do you want to go into the kitchen? We can let them sleep for a while."

Edward nodded, helping her stand before laying a fluffy, cream Afghan blanket over Marley and Rosalie. Bella smiled at him as he passed her, the duo taking seats at the counter with fresh glasses of apple juice as an awkward silence descended.

Side-eyeing Bella, Edward struggled to smother the instinct to pull her into his side. The look of confusion on her face, tinged with hurt he didn't understand, triggered the ever-protective urge he hadn't known he'd had until recently. More specifically, until he scooped a trembling young woman from a bathroom and ran through a blazing motel room to get her to safety.

"Didn't your mum ever tell you it's rude to stare, Edward?"

Edward blinked, wide-eyed, at Bella. Busted. "Uh…"

"What's wrong?" The tiny smirk on her face belied her amusement, Edward's anxiety riddled chest loosening a little.

"It's nothing."

Edward couldn't help but take in the subtle changes in Bella's face now that he had the picture of her, fresh from the motel, in his mind. Already her cheekbones were less prominent, her once-hollow features exponentially healthier, though there was still a way to go before she reached a healthy weight overall. After all, her doctors weren't sure how much of the weight she was gaining was her, or the baby.

For Edward every ounce was a victory, a sign she was getting stronger, and healthier.

"Seriously, you're giving me a complex. What's wrong?"

Edward huffed, reaching up to tug at the peak of his beloved cap. Bella's brows knotted together as she read the distinctly nervous habit for what it was. Then, he proved her earlier assumption correct, unconsciously playing a melody on the counter on either side of his apple juice.

"Just restless, that's all." His efforts to sound cheerful fell flat, his dark brows tightening in thought.

"Did you know Heidi plays the keyboard?" Bella asked, seemingly randomly.

Edward shook his head slowly, wondering _'why the change of subject?_ '

"Wait here a second, okay?" After pulling a bemused promise from Edward that he wouldn't go anywhere, Bella struggled down from the stool, making her way slowly up the stairs to Heidi and Pippa's bedroom. The Hale house mirrored her own, so the twins' bedroom was where Archie's was next-door. Bella allowed herself a brief moment to take in the pale pink walls, twin beds either side of a dressing table inherited from their mother, and the framed photo of the Hales on top. Peter, Tina, and Rosalie beamed, newborn Heidi and Pippa wide-eyed and alert in their proud mother's arms.

Then she took the keyboard from the foot of Heidi's bed, somehow managing to carry it downstairs without breaking it or toppling over. True to his word, Edward was sitting with his back to the door, spinning a paperclip between his fingers. As Bella moved around the counter, she saw the contemplative expression on his face, wondering what had him in such a funk.

"Here we go," she said softly, recapturing his attention.

Dark jade eyes moved from Bella's expectant, almost excited face, to the keyboard as she set it on the counter in front of him. Even worse than before, his fingers itched to press on the ivory and charcoal keys, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the instrument. "May I?" He gestured towards the keys, unable to stifle his glee.

Bella let out a soft huff of a laugh, nodding and resting her elbows on the counter as he slid it into place, pressing buttons and flicking switches she'd never have known what to do with. Despite his excitement, Edward paused once he had the keyboard set up the way he wanted, eyes sliding shut as his fingers caressed the keys tenderly. It had been months since he played the piano back in Italy, but only days since he'd gotten the itch to hear the melodic tones of his favorite pieces.

As the dulcet tones of his most treasured piece began to fill the kitchen at his will, a voice rising in volume shouted from the recesses of his mind. _It's her. It's Bella. She's your muse!_

And as he played without effort, his love of music flooding back to him after a long hiatus, Edward couldn't help but wonder if his subconscious was right.

Across the counter, Bella was enraptured by both the man and the music.

Watching Edward's hand dance effortlessly across the keys battled for focus with the dream-like look on his face, his long, dark eyelashes flickering with the movement of his eyes beneath their lids. She'd been growing closer to him over the past weeks, her relationship with him gaining momentum with every passing minute they spent together. Though she didn't yet have names for the feelings rushing within, Bella knew they were stronger than the friendship she'd shared with him twelve years ago.

The knowledge that she was now bound to him in ways she didn't understand both terrified and exhilarated her.

The days Edward had spent in Italy with his family were inconceivably difficult for Bella. Until he'd left, it hadn't sunken in that he was providing her with warmth, her very own sunshine in the form of a friend she could spend time with without feeling guilty. By the time he'd been gone five hours, she was wrapped in a thick jumper, a borrowed hoodie, and a fluffy blanket, feeling the cold more than ever. Though it confounded her, Bella hated to admit that even Rosalie's attempts to help her hadn't worked as well as they once might've done.

Something about Edward drew her to him and kept her there, his innate sense of warmth embracing her even from across a crowded room. The only way Bella could describe it was to say that he had become her sun in every way, bright and earnest in his joy, comforting and supportive when she needed him to be.

While listening to the music flowing from his fingertips Bella felt more content than ever, the gradually increasing tempo breaking in a startlingly tear-jerking crescendo of colors that burst behind her eyelids, her heart thumping erratically. In all the years she'd spent captive on the ranch, music had been limited to an old, crackly radio in the kitchen. It was only capable of playing country music with twangy riffs and familiar Southern drawls; most of the ranch hands were employed from the South.

The music melted into something softer, something moving, and Bella felt the heavy presence of eyes on her. Bronzed eyelids flicked open to reveal teary blue-greens. They met the intense gaze of Edward's grass-green, tangible but unnamed emotions shining within their depths.

Neither Bella nor Edward were able to define what was happening between them, why they felt this way, or whether they even should. What they both did know, however, was that they were on a collision course. One that nobody was going to be able to stop, whether they wanted to, or not.

And the funny thing was, as the pair stared into each other through the so-called windows to their respective souls, there wasn't a single consideration in either of their minds that they wanted this connection to be cut.

It was a strangely welcome, but intense realization that she _liked_ feeling the emotions Edward's music stirred within her.

It had been years since Bella was this happy, this relaxed. Something as simple as a piece of music brought her to heights unimaginable to somesome who hadn't been through the things she had, who hadn't suffered the pain, loss, or heartbreak.

From the shell of a human being Edward had found, a delicate flower was finally beginning to blossom. With Edward's attention focused almost solely upon her, Bella was growing more and more each day. Days had passed since her last panic attack, over a week since her last nightmare, though it was likely those things would never fully disappear. Nobody really expected that, after everything the girls had been subjected to.

"Did you like it? The music?" Edward asked suddenly.

Bella's gaze snapped to his, finding the intensity breathtaking. "I did," she whispered.

The pride in his face lit up the room. His grass-green eyes sparkled beneath happily raised eyebrows, dimples bookending his lopsided grin. "Would you like to hear something else?"

Unable to speak through the thickness in her throat, Bella dipped her head in a nod. Butterflies akin to eagles flapped in her stomach as his fingers began to move on the keys once more, teasing the most beautiful of melodies from the instrument.

"I learned to play at school in Italy. I suppose it's the only good thing I got out of that ridiculous boarding school," Edward murmured, afraid of speaking too loudly in case it shattered the balmy atmosphere in the room. "I mean, they made us learn French! Do you speak any other languages?"

"No."

"French is a pointless language. I don't see why I should've had to learn the damn thing when I doubt I'll ever go there."

"Why not?"

Edward frowned, though the music never faltered as he pondered his answer. "Well, I guess…I have no reason to. I have my place in Rome, and I have no wish to visit France for anything."

"Don't you want to travel? See the world?" Bella clearly remembered how he'd once told her of his plans to see the world. In fact, she also remembered his conviction that he'd visit Australia before his thirtieth birthday. It confused her to hear that his dream had changed in the years she'd been away. Bella couldn't help but wonder what or _who_ might have changed his mind.

"Travelling holds little interest for me now," Edward eventually shrugged. "Everything, _everyone_ , I need is either here or in Rome. Why would I want to leave all that behind?"

Even as he said the words, they didn't ring true. They hung, limp in the air between them, tainting the sincerity of the melody he played. Bella grew cold as a thought slid itself slyly into her mind.

 _Is it because of me?_

"Edward…" she whispered, horror-struck by the idea. _Of course, it's not because of me…, I'm just his friend…_

A war raged within Edward as he raised his head to face the ceiling, avoiding the question in her murmur and the expressiveness of her ocean eyes. It had been weeks since he'd even considered his plans to travel, not least the ticket to Egypt waiting for him back in Rome. It expired in two weeks. He'd bought it from a friend of his grandfather, but the idea of leaving was abhorrent now that he had something to leave behind.

 _I can't take off for a month_ , Edward thought resolutely, not a hint of doubt in his mind as he made plans to sell the ticket, or ask its original owner if he'd like it back. Despite all attempts to the contrary, Edward was more aware than ever that there was something more than simple friendship growing between himself and Bella, electricity still humming in the air as his fingers instinctively continued filling the room with soft notes. The past days had wrought an intrinsic alteration of Edward's psyche. He could no longer go more than a few minutes without seeking Bella out with his eyes, or justifying a walk around the house to himself with silly excuses that, on the off-chance, he'd come across Marley or her mother.

More and more, he found an invisible rope tugging him in her direction. Their bond had been strengthened by his gentle joviality, and her hatred of being handled with kid gloves.

With Bella's eyes boring holes in his upturned face, Edward couldn't slow his racing heart or quell the distaste at the idea of eventually having to return to Rome. He was unhappy just at the thought of speaking to his friends, speaking to Marley and Bella, through a phone instead of face-to-face. His thoughts turned to the baby Bella carried, of receiving photos of him or her but having to wait until his next trip to England to see his or her face in person. It hurt, he had to admit it. The thought of missing the baby's birth, of not being around to help Bella and to congratulate Marley on being a big sister, cut him to the core.

Hearing a soft sigh from across the counter, Edward tapered out the music. His eyes found Bella, taking in the way her hair hung in loose braids over each purple-hoodie-clad shoulder. The fingers of her right hand fiddled with the hood toggles over her chest, tugging the hem of her hoodie further down over her rapidly expanding bump. Edward knew she was wearing a black tank top beneath the hoodie, one that matched his ribbed vest, and the small similarity sparked something within him. A phrase his grandmother often used when showing off the matching gold chains she and her husband wore every day leaped into Edward's mind, foolish though it may have been. The words were also etched above the side-by-side mirrors in his grandparents' master bathroom.

 _His and Hers._

As Bella breathed out deeply, her eyelashes swept over her cheekbones before rising to frame stunning eyes in a shade Edward had never seen outside of her family. The shade may be the same shade as Charlie's, and as Carl-Roman's and Marley's, but nobody could ever accuse Bella's eyes of being ordinary. Constantly changing emotions swam in their depths like fish in the ocean. Just to look at them was a wonder in itself, in Edward's opinion, their almond shape and entrancing qualities making it impossible for him to look away when she met his gaze.

There had been a total shift in his priorities, and it was all because of the girl staring at him. That realization confounded, delighted, and tied Edward in knots, because she was _Archie's little sister._ He'd known her since she was a baby, held her hands when she was learning to walk, pushed her on swings in the playground. It wasn't right for him to feel anything more than friendship for her…was it?

Gazing at her, his heart hammering in his chest like a teenage boy with a crush, Edward was forced to admit that whether he liked it or not, whether he thought it was inconvenient, unreciprocated, or likely to get him pummeled by her protective father, uncle, and brother, the emotion pulling hard on his psyche wasn't merely friendship.

It was love.

Of course, there was no way for either of them to know that the next time Edward touched Bella, they'd be fighting for their lives.

 _Meanwhile, listening from the back of a candy apple red van…_

A pair of thin lips twisted up into a sneer, rough fingertips subconsciously moving from the earpiece in his ear to trace a recently-healed, crescent-shaped scar stretching from temple to forehead.

"I'm coming for you, _Bella_."


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**~ oOo ~**

 **Soooo...it's my 21st birthday today, and as a treat  
I thought I'd give you all a bonus update!  
I'm very aware that I'm going to be incredibly  
unpopular after this chapter, but please, _please  
_ remember two important things:**

 **\- I promised a Happily Ever After, and I meant it  
\- and I love these characters more than most real people**

 **We've far surpassed 700 reviews now, which is just  
mindblowing. I honestly cannot beleive the amazing  
reaction to what was originally just a dream in my  
teenage head! Thank you all so, so much for your  
support.**

 **Also, thank you to my wonderful dream team duet,  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
You're both beyond amazing and I'm endlessly  
grateful for all you both do!**

 **Um,  
**

 ***** TISSUE WARNING *****

 **and a  
**

 ***** DON'T READ IN A PUBLIC PLACE WARNING *****

 **Enjoy!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five**

Edward grimaced at the sound of harsh retching coming from the bathroom upstairs, audible even from his spot on the living room sofa. In the past week, it had become a familiar sound, with Bella and Rosalie both catching a debilitating stomach bug. With their immune systems struggling, the pair were battling valiantly to fight off the infection, and finally, Bella was starting to seem a little better. Edward berated himself for feeling a twinge of relief when he heard Bella murmuring reassurances to Rosalie a few minutes later, hating himself for feeling relieved that it wasn't Bella – this time. It disgusted him that he was prioritizing Bella over Rosalie, even if only slightly, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not since he'd realized his feelings for Bella ran deeper than he could ever have predicted they would.

In the almost two months since he'd played the keyboard for Bella, Edward had wrestled with himself over and over, even going so far as to book a flight back to Italy. His plans had been foiled by Rosalie when she'd spotted the booking receipt in the printer. It had only taken a few words from her to remind Edward that he was needed, that _Bella_ needed him. He'd canceled the seat, and hadn't thought about leaving again.

No matter what he did, his first thought every morning was of Bella, his last thought at night a plea she'd be able to sleep through the night and get some much-needed rest.

Since the anniversary of Penelope and Tina's deaths three weeks previous, both girls had been especially somber. Bella's nightmares made a return, but she refused, point-blank to talk to anybody about them.

Much to Edward's frustration, he was very much included in the exclusion.

A few moments later, Bella emerged from the hallway, taking a seat on the sofa opposite Edward. It stung that she didn't sit beside him, but Edward forced himself not to dwell on it, or the fact that ever since the day he'd realized his true feelings she'd been pushing him away. A coincidence, of course, but puzzling in the extreme, considering there was no way she could have known about his epiphany.

"Rosalie's back in Dad's room," she offered by way of explanation when Edward glanced between her and the doorway to the stairs.

"Okay. How are you feeling?"

She shrugged noncommittally, stroking her belly through her t-shirt. She was enormous. Everybody had felt the baby within kicking at this point, and occasionally his or her movements were visible through her clothes.

Charlie had joked his future granddaughter was a footballer in the making, something Bella had smiled at but not commented on further. He was still so confident there was another little Marley in there; she wasn't so sure.

Edward huffed, leaning back against the sofa with his eyes closed, fingers playing a random beat against his thigh. In an attempt to distract herself, Bella slid forwards to grab the pad of sketching pencils and paper from the drawer in the coffee table. Sitting back, she mulled over what to draw, finally deciding to just close her eyes and let inspiration strike. In the weeks since she rediscovered her talent for drawing, she'd been busy utilizing the three-hundred page, A4 sketch pad Charlie brought home for her one day, filling the pages with stunning images of her loved ones. As she flicked through to the next blank page lots of familiar faces peered out at her, the accurate details startling even her, and she'd drawn them.

Pausing on one of her favorites, Bella's forced impassiveness melted away into wry amusement. Her fingertips brushed a lock of errant, moppy brown hair before sliding down to rest against the chubby cheeks of her beloved eldest nephew. Despite the fact that the drawing wasn't in color, the little boy's eyes popped.

Noticing a slight tear at the top of the page, Bella turned it over to ensure it hadn't defaced the picture on the other side. A silent gasp pushed past the barrier of her lips as she took in the dark eyes staring back at her. The intense, knitted-together brows shadowed a pair of shockingly realistic eyes, their gaze so penetrating that Bella had to turn the page to catch her breath. Subconsciously, her eyes flicked upwards to the owner of the eyes in the drawing, disappointed to find Edward had closed them.

"Snap out of it," she hissed quietly, forcing her mind and hands to cooperate. Putting pencil to paper, she let out a long sigh, searching her mind for something to draw, the pad resting atop her big belly. Memories of her younger years assaulted her, a specific day in particular. Before she'd even finished thinking about it, her hand was flying across the page, the quiet sound of pencil leaving its marks on the sheet breaking the silence in the room.

Minutes passed, a face swiftly taking shape beneath Bella's fingertips. Her once-awkward grip on the pencil was now far more comfortable, and it only took a minute or so for strong, sharp features to come to life. It was only when the penetrating gaze of the teenager on the page became too much and made her shiver that Bella realized Edward was watching her. He had been for quite some time, too.

His eyes were open now, following the movements of her hands as they twisted the pad and pencil in tandem to achieve the best angles. "What're you drawing?" Edward asked softly.

"I, er…" Blinking, she refocused her wandering mind, dropping her eyes to the page to catalogue her work. The portrait jumped from the page. The landscape drawing wasn't her best, but it was enrapturing. Bella remembered the memory it stemmed from well. All five of the Swan and Hale kids, as well as Edward, were playing in Tugwell Park, just a short two-minute walk away from Charlie and Peter's houses. They'd been there for hours when it began to rain, soaking them to the bone within minutes, so they'd had to run home. They'd hustled as fast as possible towards Peter's house, where Charlie and Peter were putting together Heidi and Pippa's twin beds, but they were dripping wet and soggy by the time they got there regardless of their haste.

They'd been corralled into the kitchen to get dry, towels handed out as well as Rosalie's hairdryer. As Bella helped Rosalie tie her hair back once it had been dried, she'd glanced over at Archie and Edward, the pair stripping off their shirts at the time. At eight years old, and used to her brother strolling around shirtless, she was unperturbed by the boys' naked torsos. She caught Edward's eye, grinning when he tossed her a playful wink while using the towel he had draped around his shoulders to dry his scruffy hair.

It was _that_ moment Bella had drawn, Edward's brows furrowed in concentration as he stretched up to scrub his hair dry. A shiver rippled through Bella's body, which of course, Edward noticed. He always noticed.

"Are you okay? Cold?"

"A little," she murmured, wanting to get away from Edward's watchful eyes for just a minute. "Please, can you grab my blanket from the car? I left it there after my doctor's appointment."

Always willing to help Bella, Edward rose quickly, striding to the door separating the living room from the hall. "It's in your dad's car, right?"

Bella nodded, thankful that Charlie had decided to go with Peter in his van today. A few moments later, she heard the soft _click_ of the front door closing behind him. Sighing heavily, she leaned her head back against the sofa, letting her tired eyes slide shut. She was thirty-four weeks pregnant, and feeling it, too. The baby had caught up with his or her weight now that Bella was eating a better diet and she'd ballooned in the past month. Carl-Roman had commented that she was a bump walking around with a Bella attached, and everybody was inclined to agree; including Bella. She was sick of being pregnant, but couldn't bring herself to wish her due date closer. After all, with the baby still inside her, he or she was safe and growing steadily.

Sleep was becoming harder and harder to come by, her growing bump wreaking havoc on her back, so she'd taken to napping in fits and starts during the day. Marley had finally started getting better at sleeping in her own bed but still wouldn't take naps in the daytime, so Bella often left her with Edward while she rested. Not that Edward or Marley seemed to mind. They'd only grown closer, the pair as thick as thieves at this point.

Daily, she wondered how Marley would cope when Edward went back to Italy, though he hadn't mentioned any plans to leave just yet.

It's funny, isn't it, how hindsight is twenty-twenty?

If Bella hadn't been so tired, and she'd managed to keep her eyes open, she'd have seen the shadowed figure of a tall, thin man as he moved down the hallway into the entrance to the living room. She'd have been able to scream before he took the first of six silent steps towards her. Someone might have heard those screams before the chloroform-soaked cloth was pressed tightly over her mouth, a bony hand clasping her wrists together where they lay atop her sketch pad.

When her eyes did fly open at the shock of the chemicals seeping into her airways, they were just inches from the sickening, narrowed hazel eyes of her tormentor. There wasn't time, and she lacked the strength to fight him off.

Only seconds later, she slumped backward.

Blackness engulfed her, the open pad falling to the carpet.

At the top of the stairs, Marley huddled into a ball, whimpering the same words over and over around her thumb firmly ensconced in her mouth.

" _Bad-man. Bad-man. Bad-man._ "

 **~ oOo ~**

" _What the…_ " Rousing slowly, Bella groaned and inhaled a shallow breath, gasping at the chill it sent through her body. Wherever she was, it was freezing.

A moment was all it took for her to realize that she was blindfolded and bound at the wrists and ankles, completely at _his_ mercy.

It was during that first, interminable amount of time when she could see nothing, hear nothing but the steady, far-off sound of water dripping, that Bella deeply regretted asking Edward to get her blanket. Thoughts of him flooded her mind, an endless reel of his facial expressions, the sound of his voice, his laugh, the feel of his arms wrapping her up protectively in the motel to save her from the inferno _he_ started.

 _Oh, Edward…_ She sniffled. The first of many tears to come slid over her cheeks from beneath the blindfold, wetting the scratchy material.

A loud, amused chuckle echoed around her. She jumped. "Oh, you're awake! _Finally_! I've so been looking forward to seeing you again."

A harsh shudder ripped through Bella's body. "Wh-where is he?" She stuttered. The biting cold was getting to her. An ache was spreading through her body, chilly air nipping at her skin wherever it could reach.

"He? Who's 'he?' Your little _friend_ you made me kill, you mean?"

 _Kill…_

Bella's heart skipped a beat before taking off at a terrifyingly, agonized sprint. Without her sight, she couldn't read his expression, couldn't see his eyes to know if what he was saying was true.

 _He can't be dead. Not Edward. He can't be dead._

The words became a mantra in the next, excruciating minutes as she listened to the scraping of metal on what she assumed was concrete; it certainly felt like she was sitting on concrete. Then, there was an ominous click.

Thanks to a bear that had wandered too close to the ranch house one day while she, Rosalie, and Emmett were working in the barn, she knew exactly what that sound was.

A gun.

Bella shuddered, trembling violently against the cold, hard floor. Her awkward position, on her side with one arm going dead beneath her weight, wasn't comfortable in the slightest. Her stomach ached, its weight largely unsupported. She'd had to use a pregnancy pillow when sleeping for the past few weeks, but she doubted Garrett would've thought to steal it for her.

"How are you even here? How did you know I'd be there?"

Garrett laughed. It was a sickening sound; one that sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine. "It was easy. A friend helped me out getting me over here, and it was easy enough to get one of my men in once we'd disposed of the guard on duty." Garrett tutted. "Shame he had to die, really. Got a wife, apparently. Never mind. They'll be finding his body soon."

Bella's heart raced in time with his heavy footsteps.

"Once he got the bug planted it was just a matter of biding my time until you were alone. And it was just too poetic that your neighbors, the Joneses, are away, freeing up their van."

He leaned in close, hot, foul-smelling breath washing over her face; Bella heaved. "Apple red, just like the first time."

Flashes of memories filled Bella's mind.

 _An unseasonably warm, February day._

 _The exhilaration of being allowed to walk home without an adult._

 _The quiet rumble of an engine; nothing to worry about, so they thought._

 _The reflection of a candy apple red van in the windscreen of the parked car ahead._

"Up we get."

A shrill scream burned its way from her throat as his bony fingers suddenly yanked her from the ground by her upper-arms, shoving her onto what felt like a plastic chair. Her weight was uneven thanks to her stomach, so she stumbled backward and hit it painfully hard. He then ripped the blindfold from her head, the fabric pulling at the hairs tangled around it as he did so. She was torn between wanting to keep her eyes shut, and needing to have them open to be able to watch him. Sitting upright was slightly more comfortable except for her arms, which were bent at an awkward angle against the back of the chair. Bella visibly shivered, wincing at the pain that shot up her spine.

"Oh, you poor thing. You must be frozen. Pardon my manners."

Bella's heart pounded, eyes widening at the soft cooing coming from Garrett's mouth, his mood swing startling her. She was out of practice at keeping up with him. He walked behind her, boots loud on the concrete. She listened intently to his footsteps, counting how many it took before the creaking of a door bounced around the room. His strides were longer than hers, so she added some extra to compensate for her shorter legs. He returned a few moments later with the dark red blanket Edward had gone to fetch from the car.

Bella's blood ran cold.

For him to have the blanket, he must've done something to Edward. And while she thought about it, to get in the front door so quietly he must have taken the key from him, too.

"Here we go, darling. We don't want you to catch a cold, now do we? Your mother won't be happy with me if I let her precious daughter get sick before we meet up with her," he continued in his low, crooning tone as he draped the blanket around her shoulders, loosely knotting it over her bump. She jumped when his fingers brushed her, feeling sickened to have any part of him that close to her precious, innocent baby. He didn't seem to notice, stepping back with an almost adoring tint to his smile.

"Wh-why are you doing this?" Bella whimpered, shoving the mention of her mother from her mind. She knew instinctively that it wasn't his bitch of a wife, Chloe, he was referring to.

His eyes softened. "Oh, darling. Don't you know we were always meant to be this way? You, and me, and your mother." Garrett sighed, pulling a worn photograph from the pocket of his dirty black jeans. "My Penny…so beautiful. You look just like her, you know."

"Where are w-we?"

"I've waited forty years, but we'll be together soon. You, too." His lips pulled up into a sickening grin as Bella's breaths grew frantic, shooting pains rippling over the surface of her bump. "I knew you'd be excited to see her again. It's been…what, sixteen years? Seventeen?"

Bella's spine tightened, a cool breeze stealing its way through the darkened building. Thanks to the lack of light, Bella's eyes could only see ten feet or so away before the blackness swallowed up the rest of her surroundings. It was disorientating only to be able to see a gray circle around herself, the single, other living thing within it being the man responsible for twelve years of torture. She couldn't even see where the power cord for the lone lamp ended; it disappeared into the shadows. The air was damp and smelled sour, like sweat and mold.

"She-she's dead. She's not c-coming back, you idiot," she gritted out, tears stabbing at her eyes.

Garrett flipped. He let out a roar of anger, his eyes ablaze and maniacal when he turned them on Bella. She immediately knew that he was about to hit her with another mood swing.

"You stupid little girl! You think I _meant_ for them to die? For _her_ to die? It was supposed to be _him_!"

It took a handful of seconds for Bella's mind to grasp what he was insinuating, but when it did, she was forced to ponder, _was it his fault Mum and Auntie T died? Was it an accident, or something more sinister?_ How could he have done it? The police put the driver in prison, and he was killed in a riot a few weeks later. Nobody had been in the car with him – there were too many witnesses, and they'd caught the car on a traffic camera a mile back.

Puzzled, cold, and cringing with every pain in her mid-section, Bella attempted to refocus on Garrett as he paced agitatedly.

"Goddamn moron was supposed to check first…should have just done it myself. At least I didn't have to pay him after he screwed up. He deserved to die after he killed my Penny."

Curiosity peaked; Bella listened intently to his mumblings. Hoping, _praying_ , that he'd say something she could use.

"If that idiot hadn't gotten so drunk my Penny might be with me. That bastard should never have had her. I suppose it's all working out well now. We'll be together again soon, and we've got our daughter, even if she is a spoilt brat. Hiring that moron as a hitman might just be the best thing after all—"

A feral, keening wail erupted from Bella's slight body, echoing harshly in the dark _somewhere_ he was holding her captive. Too wild to care that she wouldn't get far with her ankles tied, Bella threw herself from the chair in Garrett's direction, her body hitting his full-force, side-on. She wasn't crazed enough to forget about the bump jutting from her middle, though the pain emanating from it was making her a little disorientated.

Suddenly, it all made sense.

"You killed them! All along it was you, you sick, messed up bastard!" She screeched, pent up pain and loss rising and spilling over in torrents as she beat him with her head, knees, and feet, jabbing her elbow hard into his stomach until he finally regained his wits enough to shove her back to the floor. She hit the ground with a sharp cry. Something within her tore; a pain so intense she almost passed out spreading through her veins.

Panting, Bella mustered the energy from somewhere to continue screaming at him. "You ruined _lives_! You killed my mum! How could you _do_ that?"

Garrett growled and pushed her away. "Shut up! Shut up, just _shut up_!"

Within thirty seconds, he had Bella tied to a pillar just out of the circle of light cast by the lamp, looping a rope through the cable tie binding her hands, securing it around the base. He kneeled in front of her, hissing when she spat at him with a furious glower, tears tumbling over her cheeks.

 _It hurts so much,_ she thought desperately, only now realizing what she'd been unable to grasp with the distraction Garrett presented. _The baby…Oh God, something's wrong with the baby. Please, don't let anything happen to my baby._

"Don't you think I know I killed her? Don't you think I regret it every damn day?"

"Get the hell away from me. You're a murderer!"

"He wasn't meant to kill Penny or the Hale woman! _God_ ," two bony, calloused hands tugged hard at more-gray-than-brown hair. "It wasn't supposed to be them."

"She would never have been with you. Never! She loved Dad. You're a psychotic asshole and Mum would have _hated_ you," Bella spat her words, losing her fight but running purely on adrenaline and anger.

Garrett neutralized his expression before rising up to tower over Bella. His frustration amplified when she refused to cower as she always had before. He wouldn't be getting that reaction again. Instead of lashing out verbally, as she expected, Garrett turned from his panting prisoner and slipped into the darkness. By the time she realized that he was returning with another sedative soaked rag, it was too late to fight.

Seconds later she slumped against the concrete post at her back, Garrett's smug smile the last thing she saw before her world went black.

 **~ oOo ~**

A frigid breeze slithered into Edward's bones, dragging him coughing and spluttering into consciousness.

Sharp, stabbing sensations began at his temple, spreading through his head. He made to move, pausing when nausea smacked into him full-force. Tiny black spots infiltrating his sight, Edward slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position with fawn-like awkwardness, gazing around unseeingly for a few long moments before it came back to him.

As his heart beat a frantic tattoo in his suddenly aching chest, Edward managed to rise to his feet, stumbling into the front door. It swung open to deposit him face-first on the hardwood, hallway floor with a thump followed by an anguished groan of pain. He didn't need to see the living room to know he'd failed in protecting Bella. Inches in front of his face were dirty footsteps, the mud prints far too large to be hers, never mind the 'no shoes in the house' rule Charlie enforced.

Half-formed memories rushed in. The distant barking of a dog, a woman, carrying her baby inside after closing her car door with a slam, then quiet footsteps. Something sharp against his lower spine, a muffled huff of laughter, and the heavy impact of something metal hitting his temple.

"No. No, no, no, no, no…" Edward began whispering his desperate litany even as tears spilled over his cheeks, blood from the gash on the side of his head mixing with the salty moisture as he dragged himself through the hallway into the doorway to the living room. His cream t-shirt was stained with his blood and tears, drops hitting the floor silently as his veins ran ice cold. It took almost a full minute for him to make it, but as soon as he did he fell back onto his haunches, a choked roar scorching his throat on its way out. His eyes found the empty sofa.

"Ed-wood? Ed-wood!" Marley flew down the stairs; her small body hitting Edward's so hard that he fell into the hard doorframe. He muffled his grunt of pain into her hair, rocking their bodies side-to-side as she sobbed into his chest. "Bad-man. Bad-man. Bad-man."

It took him a few seconds to realize what she was mumbling. _Bad-man_. The bad-man had been there. Marley loved everyone. To her, everyone these days was a hero. Only one person could be the 'bad-man' she mentioned.

It killed him to realize that, despite his promises to never again let Smith get close to the girls, Marley had been close enough to see him.

Distraught as he was, and distracted by Marley's misery, Edward missed the sound of a truck pulling up outside.

"Edward? What the hell's going on? Why are you…" Charlie trailed off, not finishing his question about the blood pouring from Edward's head because the look of horror on the younger man's face when he met Charlie's gaze said everything. His cheeks were ashen, tears soaking the beard he'd let grow at Bella's suggestion. She liked it, she'd said. So he'd kept it. And now she was…she was gone.

"I'm s-sorry, Charlie." Swaying on his knees, Edward collapsed into the doorframe, rasping, "he's got Bella. Smith's got Bella."

Within minutes, police were swarming the street, blocking off all entrances and exits. Charlie, Peter, Edward, and Marley were corralled outside, where an ambulance crew tended to a comatose Edward while Marley clung to him. He soon woke, disorientated and in pain, and very much adamant that he be allowed to help. Rosalie, who'd been awakened by his roar of distress and Marley's footsteps thumping down the stairs, was carried next-door to Peter's house where she waited with Heidi, Pippa, Mary, and Roy, who'd arrived home amidst the commotion of Riley's arrival.

He swept in like a king, cutting the over-confident officers off before they could shoo him away, assuring them he was in control and up-to-date. The few agents he'd brought with him were efficient and got to work immediately while Riley searched for Edward, Charlie, and Peter, finding them just as a police officer escorted an irate Archie through the police tape. As soon as Charlie spotted Riley, he was looking to him for help.

"How did this happen? I thought you were keeping a lookout for him?"

Riley winced, knowing Charlie had every right to be angry. "Honestly, I don't know. All we can do right now is find Bella, then we'll get you answers. People will pay if mistakes were made, Charlie, I promise you that."

The despairing father nodded, returning to the hastily erected marquee with Riley hot on his heels. Riley pointed out, to the argumentative ambulance crew, that Edward was needed on site as he was the only witness, and so he was allowed to join them beneath the gazebo in a wheelchair. Marley remained on his lap, still shivering with fright at having watched from the top of the stairs as Garrett stole her mother away.

The men formed a protective group around her, all of them determined to get Bella back.

 **~ oOo ~**

Darkness shrouded the rescue team without shame, casting an eerie glow over their work as they utilized borrowed torches and lamps to keep up the visibility levels. Nosy, but sympathetic neighbors supplied the congregation with hot drinks to ward off the chilly autumn evening, as well as biscuits and hastily put-together sandwiches. As expected, journalists flocked to the scene as soon as news broke that one of the recently rescued Swan-Hale abduction victims had been snatched away once again, this time from her home.

They were particularly interested in the body of a police officer being removed from the scene. It had quickly been deduced that Smith was responsible, though questions were being raised about how the poor man's death had gone unnoticed for more than twenty-four hours. A preliminary check of Charlie's house had revealed a hidden listening device in the kitchen, as well as another in the living room.

Charlie, Peter, Archie, Edward, and Marley watched the mayhem unfold around them through the portable screens Riley's men set up, unable to comprehend that this was happening all over again. The only saving graces were that he hadn't taken Marley, and the gun Edward remembered hitting his head hadn't been used to kill him, just render him unconscious. Dodging all of the journalists' attempts to speak to them, Charlie and Edward stayed in the center of the gathering, Archie nearby poring over security footage with one of Riley's agents. Peter ventured over to tell the camera crews to keep out of the police and agents' way. He was frustrated, guilty for being glad Rosalie was unhurt, and determined to help in any way he could.

As a steady stream of police officers and FBI agents entered and exited his house, Charlie found himself pulling at his hair. He was going insane. It had been over two hours since he'd returned from work in a jovial mood, only to discover Edward bleeding heavily over his hallway, Marley in the midst of a panic attack, and Bella, gone.

Again.

 _I only just got her back,_ he cried silently, heart breaking all over again when he thought of the fact that, this time, Bella was all alone and just weeks from giving birth.

"Sir! I've got something!" A sudden cacophony of sound broke out amongst the ranks, a sea of people moving aside for Charlie, Edward, and Riley as they made their way through the crowd towards the man waving his arms in the air.

"What've you got for us, Ben?" Riley grit out, growing more and more frustrated with every passing moment.

"Do you remember those trackers you had me develop a few weeks ago? You said they needed to be incorporated into something the girls would have on them at all times, right?"

Riley nodded jerkily, gesturing for Ben to get on with it.

"Well, I didn't want to say anything right away because I wasn't sure if they were online and working yet, and I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, so I've been trying to get them activated. I've just had a call from my guy though and he says they're working." With a gleeful grin, he added, "I put them in the lockets."

Riley frowned, but Charlie and Peter's eyes lit with new hope. "That's why you wanted to see Rosalie's replacement before Pete gave it to her?" In their hurried escape from the motel fire, Rosalie's locket had been lost. She and Bella had a matching pair, each one containing a photo of their respective mother. Peter had replaced it on the anniversary of Penelope and Tina's death. At the time, the men had been confused as to why Riley's tech specialist had wanted to see it, but now it all made perfect sense.

Ben grinned. "Yup." His fingers began shooting over the keys of his laptop a mile-a-minute, a map appearing on the screen seconds later. In the next few minutes, he showed them the two flashing dots on the screen – one lilac, for Rosalie, and one pink, for Bella.

Rosalie's was right where it should be.

All eyes shot to the pink dot. It was blinking like a beacon.

As Riley barked orders at the agents close by, Charlie turned to Ben, asking him to zoom in. At his side, Edward inhaled sharply when he realized where Garrett had taken Bella, a fractured plan taking shape in his mind.

Five minutes, and a couple of miles later, a mixture of Sussex Police, FBI agents, and news crews brave enough to risk Riley's wrath by following, surrounded the derelict storage facility Bella's dot now occupied. Leaping from the back of Riley's sleek black car like a man possessed, Charlie was intent on running straight into the building to rescue his daughter. A pair of strong, unrelenting arms stopped him in his wake.

"You can't go in there, Mr. Swan," a deep, gruff voice informed the irate father.

"Like _hell_ ,I can't! That's my baby girl in there!" He struggled ineffectively against the six-foot-five behemoth he belatedly recognized as Roberto Rodriguez, one of the dark-haired brothers on Riley's security detail. Alberto, his almost identical brother, appeared a moment later at Riley's back, Edward following unsteadily with his hand tugging his hair back from the white dressing on his head.

"Charlie, please, calm down," Riley urged. "We don't want to alert him to our presence if we can help it. We'll have a better advantage if he doesn't see or hear us coming. You understand? We just want to get Bella out of there safely, but we can't do that until the armed unit arrives. What if he's armed? What if he hurts her because we're not prepared?"

The fight drained from Charlie's body as he sagged, Roberto hesitantly releasing him. The last thing Charlie wanted was for Bella to get hurt. And the baby… _Oh God,_ the baby. She was just weeks from delivering. They had to be okay; both of them. They just had to be.

"All right." He huffed, reaching up to yank at his hair. "All right, but let me do _something_ before I go mad."

Amidst the chaos outside the red brick storage unit, nobody thought to keep an eye on the young man all but crippled by the pain splitting his head in two, blood almost seeping completely through the dressing he'd allowed a paramedic to apply before he raced off to follow Charlie, Peter, and Riley, leaving Archie with the children and Rosalie. Edward watched the comings and goings from the floor, where he sank to his haunches when he realized that even though they knew where Bella was, they weren't going to go in until more officers had arrived; until protocol could be followed.

It didn't help that all he could picture was Marley's face when he'd pried her from his chest, handing her to Archie. It wasn't safe for her to go with him, but she hadn't understood, and she'd fought so hard to hang onto him. He'd hated leaving her, especially when she was so upset and had shrieked his name at his back until they'd sped away in Riley's Mercedes.

It was that look, the abject misery on Marley's face, which spurred him into action. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he pushed himself unsteadily to his feet, leaning against a low brick wall for a minute or two to catch his breath.

Nobody was watching him.

As he staggered around the crowd towards an old, half-open fire exit door, Edward mused that it was probably their fear of upsetting Riley that kept the others from running inside without 'proper back up.'

It wasn't fear _of_ anything that pushed Edward's feet forwards into the building, despite the pain each stepped caused – it was fear _for_ Bella, and the baby she carried.

What Edward hadn't mentioned to Riley was that he, Archie, and some of their old friends had often used this building as a hangout during their teenage years. He remembered the layout fairly well having gotten drunk there many times, though without Archie to guide him, Edward did take a couple of wrong turns before he had a sudden thought. The only area with a single entrance and exit was on the second floor. The second fire exit had been boarded up years ago when the area at the back fell in during a particularly violent storm, so the only way in or out was through the doors leading into the main stairwell. It was likely that Garrett would want somewhere like that, where he could be in control of the entrances, so that's where Edward headed. He harnessed all of his energy to make his way up the cracked, dusty steps to the second floor, soon finding himself having to maneuver through piles of boxes, metal storage cabinets, and debris from a toppled wall.

Stifling a groan at a sharp ripple of pain in his head, Edward pushed on. It was just as he reached the doors hanging off their rusted hinges that he heard it.

Muffled, sickeningly-delighted laughter.

Even without having ever heard Garrett Smith's voice before, Edward knew instinctively that it was him.

What worried him the most was that in the following thirty seconds or so Smith's laughter continued with no other sounds whatsoever being heard, and he didn't know if that was because Bella didn't want to make a sound, or wasn't capable of making them.

He didn't let himself dwell on the possibility that he might be too late.

"You can do this, Cullen," he mouthed to himself, closing his eyes against an abrupt onslaught of tears. "You have to do this," Edward added.

Inhaling a deep, dust-filled, lungful of air, he slowly pressed the door open wider and slid into the dark, cavernous room.

 **~ oOo ~**

Blinking rapidly, Bella's eyes took a while to adjust to the lack of light, residual sedatives keeping her movements sluggish as she tried to get her arms into a more comfortable position.

"Ah, there we are. Awake at last. And just in time, too. Your precious _daddy_ has come to see us off. Isn't that nice of him?"

Bella shuddered at the tone of his voice, unable to comprehend the depravity of this man and unwilling to believe that her dad was there, that he'd come for her. He'd be in danger, and she knew he wouldn't just wait merrily for Garrett to hand her over. No – he'd come in, all guns blazing.

 _It's another mind-game, Bella_ , she assured herself as she closed her eyes again.

Shivers wracked her frame and pain gripped her spine, refusing to let go as his cheerful laughter bounced around the darkness. She bit into her lip to stifle a whimper of agony at the pain in her stomach as warm, sticky wetness seeped onto her thighs. The faintly metallic scent made her feel sick.

 _Hang on in there, baby. Please, please hang in there._

"I didn't expect him to come if I'm honest. After all," crouching a foot away with a sinister smile plastered over his face, Garrett chuckled, "he didn't come for you last time, did he?"

Not in the least bit inclined, or able, to answer, Bella simple quaked as her keen hearing picked up on the sounds of Garrett fiddling with the safety on his handgun. He was playing her. Trying to get her to open her eyes. But she didn't want to.

If she had, she'd have been staring down the barrel of the gun.

The laughter continued unabated until Bella couldn't bear it anymore. Only, she didn't get a chance to shriek at him to stop, to just do whatever he was going to do.

The breath she'd inhaled to do so was cut off by the sound of a trio of hard thumps, quickly followed by the thunderous boom of a trigger being pulled. Ears ringing, heart pounding, Bella forced open her eyes.

The sight they found was incomprehensible.

In the center of the circle of light were two large bodies. Garrett's torso, clad in a long-sleeved navy polo shirt, was slumped atop another. One that Bella was both horrified and relieved to see.

Edward.

Relief that he was alive was swiftly swallowed up by the horror of realizing he wasn't moving. Through the high-pitched, bell-like sound resonating in her ears, Bella just about heard herself screeching Edward's name in a desperate plea for him to come to her.

Her horror escalated tenfold when it was the other body that turned to face her. "No…" she whispered.

The gray-haired demon gazed at her, wide-eyed, as though disbelieving. Slowly and unsurely, he slid backward on his hands and knees until he was barely visible in the dim light. It was then, when she could only just make out his heavily shadowed features, that Bella turned her eyes back to Edward. She was aghast at what she found. Using one arm to slide his way closer, Edward was smearing a trail of dark red blood across the pale concrete floor, his face ashen, eyes half-lidded.

"No, Edward, stay there. D-don't move!" Fighting pointlessly against the cable ties, Bella sobbed, desperate, dismayed, and disturbed by this turn of events. Her cries only encouraged Edward. He finally flopped down beside her, resting his shaky head on her calf.

He choked something out, his breathing getting too shallow, voice too quiet to comprehend his words. He tried again, meeting her eyes. The light behind his grassy green irises was fading fast. "I s-saw your drawing," he murmured.

Bella hiccupped, her lips pulling up slightly at the crazy, crazy man. "Did you like it?"

"Yeah," Edward breathed.

"Then it's yours."

The feeling of warmth seeping into her leggings had torrents of salty tears streaming over Bella's cheeks as she tried to bend over her bump to see Edward's face up close. He heaved his head up, letting her rest her forehead against his sweat-dampened hair. "Tha-thanks. I'll put it…" He paused to inhale a gasp that made his entire body shudder. Licking his lips, he continued, "in the best frame I can find. Maybe the one little sweet made me."

"She'll love that. Pinky promise me? That you'll put it in a frame and keep it forever?" Bella whispered pleadingly, trying to keep him focused as his eyes dimmed, head lowering away from her reach.

"P-pinky promise…" Just then, he let out a gut-wrenching groan, curling in on himself and clutching at the rapidly expanding circle of crimson on his white vest.

"Edward! Don't you dare leave me!" Bella cried, tugging against her restraints even though there was no way she'd be able to break them. Looking around in desperation, she spotted Garrett. He was sitting in the exact same spot he had been a few minutes before, leaning back on his hands, staring at the crumpled heap of the man he'd shot. "Help him!" Bella pleaded, hissing at the pain in her abdomen.

It was getting worse. So, so much worse.

" _Please_ , help him! I'll go with you! I'll do whatever you want, just save him!"

Before either of them could make another move an army of men dressed in black and armed with weapons Bella had never seen the likes of stormed in, shouting in booming voices as they swarmed Garrett. All of it was lost to Bella as it occurred outside her circle of light. No more than ten seconds later, she found herself staring into Riley's ice-blue eyes through the waterfall of her own tears.

Everything became a blur.

Somebody cut her free.

A paramedic asked her a string of questions before she was loaded onto a gurney. As soon as they spotted the sticky stain on her thighs, they rushed into action. Bella's eyes remained on Edward until a team of paramedics descended upon his prostrate form, blocking him from view.

Whisked from the darkness, Bella found herself staring blankly at the ceiling overhead, then at the black sky once they made it outside. The stars seemed to swirl and blend together, the moon looming incandescently. As she was loaded into the ambulance the pain in her midsection became unbearable, Charlie's face crumpled with fear and awash with tears as she heard words like 'placental abruption' and 'hemorrhaging.'

The last thing she remembered uttering was Edward's name as she felt cool hands on her overheated cheeks and the distant squeal of sirens lulling her into unconsciousness.

When she woke hours later, it would be with a deflated bump, and with one less heart beating in the world.

* * *

 **So...**

 **Because I'm feeling generous, if you leave a review for this chapter I'll send you a sneak preview of Chapter 26 to tide you over until the next update on Sunday :)**


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six

**~ oOo ~**

 **Okay, so, tomorrow is Father's Day here in the UK,**

 **meaning I will be super busy hanging out with my**

 **Grandad, who is strictly anti-phones on special**

 **occasions. Therefore, you get an early update again!**

 **After Tuesday's awful cliffie I have a feeling I won't receive**

 **too many complaints about posting two hours early :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Speaking of Tuesday's update... You have all been**

 **so wonderful and lovely with your reviews and sweet**

 **words on the various FB pages I post in! I was so worried**

 **about that chapter but, apart from telling me off for the mean cloffhanger,**

 **everyone had such kind things to say - I'm incredibly**

 **grateful to you all!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **A few of you reviewed as guests so didn't get your**

 **reward of a sneak preview. Also, one of you did log in**

 **and review but didn't have your PMs switched on! I can't find**

 **your name now but anyways, you missed out ;)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Big thanks as always to my wonderful ladies,**

 **SunflowerFran and annaharding**

 **They both work super hard and I'd be lost without them!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **So... Eleven more reviews to push PP over 800...**

 **Is this chapter worth it? Let me know ;)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Six**

 _An Undisclosed Location, UK_

"I want in."

James Hunter, the FBI agent who'd been minding Emmett since they were placed in the middle-of-nowhere after he'd been picked up, stared at him. He noted the rigid set of his jaw, the steely glint in his eyes. Emmett looked determined. And he was a big guy, intimidating to someone who didn't know him, and a damn fine shot with a gun, too.

Riley would kill him, of that James was sure. On the off-chance Riley didn't put him in a hole of his own, James knew he'd never get the promotion he'd been promised upon his return to the States. Emmett would be a great help, but he had stakes. Personal ones. He cared for the Swan-Hale girls, that much was clear. What James wasn't sure of was whether those feelings would aid or hinder Emmett if James let him come along.

Either way, he didn't fancy his chances against Emmett if push came to shove.

"Fine. But if you get hurt—"

"Not your fault, got it. When do we leave?"

James checked his watch, but they both heard the rumble of an engine as a car skidded to a halt outside.

"Now, looks like. You ready for this, McCarty? Bit different to working with some show ponies, dude."

Emmett scowled, never more sure of a decision than this one.

He'd been biding his time for weeks, working out how he might be able to help, to do something, _anything,_ other than sit within the same four walls getting boredom headaches and fed up of the inaction. He'd heard, thanks to James accidentally leaving a radio behind while he used the bathroom, about Scarlett – or _Bella_ as she was now being called, according to the radio chatter – being abducted again.

It had only taken forty minutes of James' subsequent actions and coded phone calls to work out that he was leaving to hunt down Garrett, and Emmett wanted in.

Badly.

It wasn't enough to know Garrett would be arrested. He wanted Garrett Smith, that piece of shit, dead. He wanted him to pay for what he'd done to the girls. For what he'd done to him.

"Let's go," he responded curtly, leaving no doubt as to how ready he was as he marched outside, duffel bag slung over one shoulder. The handgun James handed him on his way past was tucked quickly and securely into the holster on his thigh.

Emmett had never been more ready.

The agent up front rammed his foot on the accelerator, his passenger hastily filling James in on what they knew. He turned to face Emmett in the back, giving him a look as if to ask 'do you know what you're in for?' "We've got intel he's been tracked to a derelict building with the girl. We're heading that way until we hear something else." The black-haired guy shot a look at James, who nodded as though answering an unasked question. He looked back to Emmett, grinning. It wasn't a happy smile, but a grim one. "Plan is to get him mid-transfer. We've got a location already set. This guy's not gonna see another day. You okay with that?"

Emmett cocked a brow, confusing the agent in the front seat by leaning down to roll up his right pant leg. "Does this look like I'd have a problem with ending that motherfucker?"

Agent Biers gulped, eyes wide when they landed on the mess of burns wrapped around the man's calf, disappearing up into the top half of his cargo pants. "No, sir. All right then. Step on it, Laurent."

With a grunt and a disgusted last glance down at his leg, Emmett threw himself back into the leather seats and scowled out at the scenery as it whizzed by; uninvited memories shoving themselves to the forefront of Emmett's mind, his leg tingling.

 _~ The day the ranch exploded… ~_

 _Emmett watched the rust-bucket truck disappear amidst a cloud of dust with a lump in his throat, and an ache in his heart._

 _He'd known from the second he realized the girls would be leaving the ranch that he couldn't go with them. He had things to do; he had to make sure Smith didn't get off the ranch alive._

 _That said, watching Rosalie, Scarlett, and sweet little Marley speed away from him was soul-destroying._

 _A groan from the collapsing house at his back drew Emmett's eyes from the dot in the distance. He spun, and his eyes narrowed on the figure staggering towards the barn. Without another thought, Emmett took off after him, his longer, steadier strides allowing him to catch up just as Garrett reached for the handle of the barn door._

" _Not fucking likely, Smith," Emmett growled, landing a solid punch to Garrett's cheek as he fisted his bloodied shirt and twisted him around. The older man crumpled in a heap to the ground, already confused to see Emmett before the disbelief that he'd hit him could set in._

" _Em-mett?" He mumbled, trying to push himself up on a hay bale. It broke under his weight, and he face-planted the dirt. Peering up at Emmett, inches from the irate young man's boots, he had blood, dirt, and ash clinging to his face; he was a mess._

" _Did you think no one would ever find out? Huh? Did you think you'd be able to get away with this forever?"_

 _Garrett sneered, despite his bloody temple and split cheek. "I've managed it until now, haven't—"_

 _Emmett didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. He hauled him back to his feet only to hit him again as his nose crunched and gave way beneath Emmett's fist, the sickening crack making his stomach turn. Garrett groaned, spitting a mouthful of bloody saliva at the floor._

" _Don't push it, son. You don't know who you're messing with."_

" _You're gonna threaten me? Seriously?" Emmett laughed, the sound seeming somehow off even to his own ears. "You think you scare me, asshole? I'm not Scarlett. I'm not a scared little girl, Smith, and I'm sure as shit not afraid of you."_

" _You should be!" Garrett's eyes flickered beyond Emmett, his lips curling up in a sick smile. "Your little plan didn't work. They're coming back."_

 _It was a rookie mistake, turning away, but Emmett wouldn't have put it past Rosalie to come back for him. He hesitated a moment before glancing over his shoulder, realizing too late that it had just been a ploy to distract him. Emmett's legs were swept out from underneath him, sharp pain shooting through his knee. When he looked back at Garrett, he was scrambling away on hands and knees with a crowbar. He managed to make it into the barn before Emmett could catch up with him._

" _Mother_ fucker _," Emmett spat, the pain in his leg waning only slightly as he shoved his way into the barn, the wooden door creaking with the force of his momentum. Luckily, Garrett had missed the half-healed wound on his thigh. If he'd hit that, Emmett would have been in far worse pain._

 _As he stepped inside Emmett heard noise coming from the area near the stalls. The horses were restless, kicking at the walls and their doors. Realizing that it might not be long before the fire spread, Emmett threw the stall doors open and released the horses, nudging one or two nervous fillies to get them moving. They all headed straight for the open barn doors and Emmett breathed a sigh of relief when Bear, the gorgeous bay stallion the girls loved, was the last to scamper out. They'd fare far better out in the wild than they would cooped up in a wooden building that was almost definitely going to go up in flames at any second._

 _A clang from the tack room made Emmett wheel round. He huffed, heading toward the sound. Anger spread through his veins, the pain in his knee making him even more annoyed as he peered into the room housing all the feed and tack. Garrett had his back to Emmett and was trying to open the door on the far wall. Emmett knew it contained all the cleaning materials, thanks to Rosalie asking him to help her lift some of the heavy bottles of bleach a few weeks previous. He couldn't work out why Garrett would head straight there rather than try to get away from the ranch._

 _Emmett crept closer, eyes darting around for something to use as a weapon. A metal bucket handle sat nearby on a table, its counterpart on the floor a few feet away. Emmett had planned to repair it today. It worked to his advantage that he hadn't gotten around to it. The cool metal grounded him, his entire body tensing as Garrett heard his steps on the stone and turned to face him._

 _Emmett was prepared for the disgusting smile on Garrett's face. What he wasn't prepared for was the open bottle of strong-smelling liquid flying toward him followed by a match._

 _A lit match._

 _Before Emmett could react to the flames lighting his trousers on fire, Garrett was shoving his way by him._

 _Escaping._

 _There was little Emmett could do though, heat beginning to sear his leg as the fabric of his trousers burned away, flames licking up his leg. Tears stung his eyes as he grabbed at the nearest rug to beat at the fire, crying out when the pain intensified and bile rose in his throat. The sound of something breaking out in the main barn area caught Emmett's attention. He slapped at the flames licking his calf, sobs tearing from his chest as he finally managed to smother the fire and stumble toward the doorway._

 _He was just in time to watch Garrett floor it out of the barn atop the single, remaining four-wheeler. The engine wheezed before sputtering to a start and growling as it took off out into the smoky air, Garrett clinging onto the handle bars for dear life._

 _Knowing he wasn't going to be able to catch him, Emmett turned and gripped the walls as he made his way to the sink in the corner, wincing with every step. Emmett had never felt pain like this before, and his hands shook while he attempted to turn the taps to cool and pull the remaining fabric of his right pant leg out of the way._

" _Fffffuck!" He hissed, accidentally catching the top of the burn. By now, his skin was bright red and bleeding as agony tore through him with each movement. His head was pounding in time with his rapid heartbeat, and tears streamed down his face. Carefully lifting his leg and then lowering it into the fresh water, he muttered obscenities through gritted teeth. The whole process did very little to ease the pain, and he soon found himself too weak to hold himself up any longer._

 _As Emmett removed his leg from the water and sank to the floor, his back against the wooden wall at his back, he sighed a long, shuddery breath and let his head fall back with a thump. The pain finally became too much, and he felt bile rushing up his throat to splash the floor beside him. The roar of the house crashing down outside drowned out the sound of an approaching vehicle as it skidded to a halt._

 _Emmett was already unconscious when the FBI agents stormed the barn minutes later with their guns raised and a medic at the ready._

 _~ oOo ~_

 _Still, even with the FBI medic's attention, Emmett's burns had taken weeks of painful healing. They'd left him with nasty, jagged scars, which couldn't stand the heat of a hot shower or prolonged periods in the sun. He'd been unable to walk unaided, able only to hobble with the support of nearby furniture._

 _But the mental scars were worse._

 _Thereafter, he often woke in the night, sweat-dampened and shaking with remnants of his nightmares keeping him awake thereafter._

 _Night after night, Emmett reminded himself of the promises he'd made._

 _I will find and destroy Smith; both for what he's done to me, and for what he's done to the girls._

 _And I will keep my promise to Rosalie._

" _ **One day I'll follow you, but it's your turn now," he pleaded in the softest tone he could manage, torn between wanting to run with them, and wanting to make sure they could never again be hurt.**_

 _ **Rosalie nodded in answer to the promise he asked of her – not to look back. "We'll see you again though, won't we?"**_

 _ **At the sight of even a sliver of the grin she'd grown to adore, she couldn't help but try to push everything else around her to the back of her mind.**_

" _ **This isn't the last you'll see of me for sure, Missy. I promise."**_

 **~ oOo ~**

A particularly large bump in the road jostled Emmett and brought him back to the present. He shook memories of Rosalie's sorrowful face from his mind, reminding himself that hopefully soon, he'd be seeing her again.

"Get ready, asshole," he muttered, picturing Garrett Smith's sneering face. "We're coming for you."

 **~ oOo ~**

"Pawpaw?"

Charlie halted his pacing, spinning on his heel towards the small voice calling his name. "Are you okay, Mars?"

Marley whimpered with her arms outstretched. Charlie crossed the waiting room in four big strides to scoop her into his arms. Cradled against his chest, she released a soft, shuddering breath. "Pawpaw, where's Mummy?"

Despite the racing of his heart and fear for Bella, Charlie felt his lips curling upwards in a tiny smile. _Mummy_. Months in England had almost entirely eradicated her Americanisms, and her improving confidence meant she'd started calling him 'Pawpaw' now, too, instead of just reaching for him.

"She's…she's with a doctor, Mars."

He had no idea how to explain all of this to Marley, no idea at all. Peter had finally brought her to the hospital forty minutes or so after Charlie arrived there in the ambulance with Bella, unable to calm the panicking five-year-old. He'd gone home to let Archie and Rosalie know what had happened, but Marley had gotten to the point of hyperventilating, and no amount of cuddles and reassurances were cutting it, so with Archie's help, he'd driven her to the hospital on her uncle's lap.

Peter hoped she'd calm when she saw Charlie, but she hadn't. In fact, she'd gotten worse. Eventually, Charlie had no option but to allow a pediatric nurse to give her a light dose of sedatives to help her settle before she hurt herself. The mild dose she'd been given hadn't been enough to knock Marley out, but she had sat quietly on her Pawpaw's lap for the past three hours. Comfortably curled into his chest with her thumb in her mouth, her eyes watched warily as doctors and nurses passed the big windows between the corridor and the waiting room.

"Dad? Any news?"

Charlie turned towards Archie's voice as he entered, shaking his head. "No. Nothing. Nothing about Edward, either. Carl-Roman and Chase okay?"

Archie sighed in anguish, collapsing heavily into the nearest chair. It creaked and bowed under his weight, but didn't break. "They're fine. Mary and Roy have everything under control. Rosalie's a mess, though." He huffed, pulling hard on his hair just to feel something, anything other than the pain of knowing he couldn't do shit for his sister. _And Edward_ …God, he owed him everything, and he was fighting for his life in emergency surgery. "Shit."

Charlie sat down beside his son, letting him lean his weight against his shoulder. They stayed this way for a long time, Marley remaining still and silent on her Pawpaw's lap.

"How much longer are we gonna have to wai—"

"Mr. Swan?"

The heads of both men snapped towards the door as it swung open to reveal a doctor in the doorway. He looked confused when they both said, "that's me."

"Archie Swan, my son," Charlie explained, nodding towards Archie.

"I see. My name is Dr. Stephens; I performed the surgery on Miss Swan."

Charlie and Archie held their breath, the latter rising shakily to his feet. Marley simply peered at Dr. Stephens silently, not appearing particularly afraid or interested.

"Is she…is she okay? How's she doing?"

Dr. Stephens nodded, sighing. The Swan men realized belatedly that he looked utterly exhausted. "She came in with a severe loss of blood and an abruption, which meant we had to act quickly with a blood transfusion. We also had to perform an emergency C-section. I personally escorted her to recovery before coming here, and I'm pleased to say she's stable."

Charlie and Archie both sank back onto the chairs they'd only recently vacated.

Feeling as if he'd just taken a solid kick to the stomach, Charlie rasped, "does that…does that mean…"

Dr. Stephens managed a tiny smile as he looked between Charlie and Archie, his warm but weary brown eyes finally resting on Marley. He crossed the room slowly, so as not to startle her, crouching so he could gently rest a hand on her slipper-clad foot.

He glanced back up at Charlie and Archie. "Miss Swan delivered a baby boy about an hour ago. He weighed four pounds, eleven ounces, and he's doing great. Breathing by himself and already stealing hearts in the NICU. He's six weeks premature so he's not completely out of the woods, but he's stable." Meeting Marley's wide eyes after reading the name on her sparkly plastic necklace, Dr. Stephens smiled and squeezed her foot slightly. "Congratulations, Marley. You're a big sister."

 **~ oOo ~**

The time was fast approaching five a.m. when Bella finally came around.

She woke to the sound of Marley singing a sweet, soft song. It was familiar, but it took a few verses for Bella to recognize it. It was Charlie's favorite. He'd always sung it to her and Archie when they were little, and had taken to singing it to his grandchildren, too.

"Little darlin', s'been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darlin', feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun…Mummy? Mummy, you 'wake?"

"Mummy's here, baby girl," Bella croaked, peeling her eyes open even though it took tremendous effort to do so. She blinked repeatedly for a handful of seconds, adjusting to the dim light in the room quickly. Swallowing hard, Bella licked her lips to wet them, murmuring, "are you okay?"

Marley leaned over her mother, smiling tremulously. Her eyes were narrowed, brows furrowing as she searched Bella's face. For what, Bella wasn't sure. "I'm okay, Mummy."

"Bella? Are you awake? _She's awake!_ " Charlie's face suddenly appeared beside Marley's, the relief shining in his eyes so palpable it made Bella feel warm inside. "Are you all right, honey? How do you feel?"

Bella hesitated, taking stock. She was warm and could feel a blanket wrapped tightly around her legs. She was tucked in. Her mother had always tucked Bella in at night, making it so that she could barely move. By the time morning came, the blankets would always be a mess at the foot of the bed, Bella's legs having kicked them free.

A twinge of pain in Bella's back made her wince; it was worse when she focused on it. Foggy memories began to worm their way back into her mind.

 _Pain._

 _A cold, hard floor._

 _Laughter._

 _Him._

 _Garrett Smith._

 _Blood…_

"What…what happened?" Bella whispered, frowning in frustration.

Charlie's face fell. He lifted Marley carefully, pointing her towards the sofa next to the bed. She went happily, sitting with Mr. Eddie the stuffed bunny and a coloring book. Charlie perched carefully on the edge of the bed, taking one of Bella's hands in both of his. "Bella, honey, I…what do you remember?"

"Being cold. I…I was in a dark room, wasn't I?"

Charlie nodded slowly.

"And h-he was there?"

Bella watched Charlie's eyes dart to the monitors she only then realized were beeping beside her. He looked worried, reaching for something over her head. A quiet beeping began outside the room, and a nurse poked her head in to murmur that she'd be right back with a doctor as Charlie sighed and admitted that yes, Garrett had been there.

"But he's gone now. He's gone, okay? Riley got him. He's been arrested and he's already in lock-up. He can't hurt you again, you or the baby."

With a start, Bella remembered. She remembered Garrett standing over her.

She remembered the pain, the tearing sensation.

She remembered the dark, quiet room. The cocking of the gun.

And then a noise.

"Edward…" Bella could perfectly picture his face, gray and still against the concrete.

"He's stable, honey. He's out of surgery. We saw the doctor a little while ago."

Bella released a long sigh of relief, tears pouring over her cheeks. _He's okay_. Bella's heart raced, but a weight lifted from her shoulders. "What happened?" Her memories were foggy, clouded by trauma as well as the lingering anesthetic.

Charlie cast a quick look in Marley's direction. Seeing that she was still distracted, he quickly explained. "The gun went off in the struggle and the bullet hit Edward's side. It grazed a kidney and he lost a lot of blood, but the doctors managed to get the bullet out and stop the bleeding. He's being watched carefully, but he should be okay."

Bella had never felt so relieved. If Edward hadn't made it…

 _God_ , it wasn't worth thinking about; Bella felt sick at the mere idea of losing him. He was her sunshine, her smiles and joy. The thought of not seeing that double-dimpled, crooked grin, or of watching him play with Marley again made Bella want to scream. She felt the pressure of her need to see him rising within her as she sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm the thoughts running rampant in her brain.

Marley bounced back over then, looking abashed when Charlie reminded her to be careful of the cannula in her mother's hand and the wires monitoring her vitals through a machine beside the bed. "Mummy, look. I drawed a picture."

Struggling to lift her arms, the ache of exhaustion rooted deep within her bones, Bella took Marley's drawing with a shaky hand, taking a few moments to try and work out what the shapes on the page represented.

Marley gave her a helping hand. "This is Pawpaw, and Uncle P, and Uncle Archie. This is Carl-Roman and Chase, and Auntie Wosalie, Auntie Pippa, Auntie Heidi." She paused for a moment, huffing with a knot between her brows. "This is Ed-wood. He's poorly, Mummy, but I'm not allowed to see him. I drawed him a picture also."

Her words sounded awkward as if she was reciting them from memory. Somebody had clearly told her that, and she was just imitating them.

"It's good, baby girl," Bella rasped, mustering a smile. She tried to look closer at the trio of shapes in the center. "Who is this?"

"Silly Mummy! That's me, and you, and my baby brother!"

Baby…baby brother?

Bella ignored the pain her movements caused, managing to wiggle up to look down at her belly.

Her deflated belly.

There was still a bump there but it was tiny and odd-shaped.

"Where…where's my baby?" Bella mumbled, disbelieving. "Where's my baby, Dad?"

Charlie squeezed Bella's hand, mindful of the cannula, and smiled weakly. "He's okay, honey. He's okay. You had a baby boy a few hours ago."

"A boy?"

Marley nodded, her head moving too quickly for Bella's blurry vision to keep up with. "Uh-huh. I got a brothuh, Mummy."

Bella found herself thoroughly confused at the idea that she now had two children. A girl and a boy. Marley…and a son.

"Ah, you're awake!" a soft voice cheered from the doorway. Bella dragged her eyes from Charlie to Archie. "How're you feeling, sis?"

"I don't…um, I'm just a bit, confused?"

He smiled softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead gently. When he pulled back, Archie left a hand on her cheek, his smile stretching a little wider. "What're you confused about?"

"The baby. Where is he?"

"In the NICU, but he's okay. I just saw the nurse, and she said he's doing so well for being six weeks early. He's a little fighter, just like his mummy."

Hearing about her baby was surreal. The last thing she remembered was being wheeled from a building, Garrett being led away in handcuffs, and watching Edward be rushed ahead on a stretcher around the enormous bump in her middle. It didn't make sense to her that she now could see over her much smaller stomach. That she could see her toes as she wiggled them beneath the hospital issue blanket.

A boy…

Bella had told herself over and over that she didn't mind if the baby was a boy or a girl, so long as he or she arrived safely. But hearing she'd had a son and that somewhere in this hospital a baby boy was waiting for her, made Bella incomprehensibly desperate to lay eyes on him. She squirmed, wincing.

"Do you need some painkillers?" Archie asked, already moving to stand.

Bella shook her head, trying to sit up. Charlie carefully put a hand on her shoulders, telling her to wait a second. With the help of the electronic bed, she was almost completely upright within a minute, tears leaking from her eyes in a combination of pain and desperation.

"I need to see him. The baby, I need to go see him." _And Edward_. Even as she watched her dad and brother debate her request, she realized that it wasn't just the baby she needed to see.

She was desperate to lay eyes on Edward; to see that they weren't lying, and that he was okay.

Charlie and Archie shared a look. The doctor had warned them that she'd react this way; that she'd want to meet her baby as soon as she woke and realized she didn't carry him within her womb anymore. Dr. Stephens had also warned them of the risks and had advised the men to try to keep Bella as calm and still as possible. Watching her struggle to move, seeing the way her eyes darted between the tube in her hand and the door across the room, they knew there was no stopping her. Not allowing Bella to get to her baby would stress her out needlessly.

"Hang on, I'll go grab a nurse," Archie murmured, disappearing but returning within a few minutes with a nurse and a wheelchair.

With a bright smile and a kind, soothing lilt to her voice, she introduced herself as Emma. "Now, Miss Swan, Dr. Stephens is happy for you to go and visit your baby as long as I check you over first, and you can sit upright in the chair for a few minutes without it being too painful, okay?"

Bella nodded quickly, unbothered by the idea of it being painful. At this point, all she wanted was to get to the NICU, whatever it took.

 **~ oOo ~**

Twenty minutes, and only a mildly painful transition into the wheelchair later, Bella found herself sitting outside the doors to the NICU. It looked petrifying. There were so many machines, so many people bustling around. Before she was allowed in Emma had to teach Bella how to scrub in properly, so that she could come and go as she pleased – once she was mobile, anyway.

Charlie had explained on the way that nobody had seen the baby yet, as they hadn't wanted to take that moment away from her, but that they'd been in close contact with Emma. She'd kept them updated on every little thing Baby Boy Swan, as he was being referred to, did or had.

"He's settled in an open cot, which is really good for a preemie, Bella," Emma said, squeezing Bella's shoulder before taking the handles of the wheelchair and turning her towards the doors leading into the main area, where the babies were. "Most babies born this early need an incubator, but your little boy is doing just fine. He's had a little formula but if you'd like to try breastfeeding, we can definitely talk about it. We'll just have to double-check that all the anesthetic is out of your system, that's all."

Bella wasn't sure what to think, what to say, so she just kept quiet and silently took in her surroundings, even as they filled her with fear. The beeping of heart monitors and the whoosh of breathing apparatuses sent her heart flying. She couldn't help but feel like this was all her fault. If she'd protected her baby better, or if she'd never put herself in the position to get pregnant in the first place…

No. Even as Emma pushed her to the last little-curtained area in the room, and Bella's eyes found the impossibly tiny figure of her baby boy for the first time, she couldn't bring herself to wish him away.

"Oh God, he's so small…" Bella breathed, almost unable to bear looking at him. Sitting in the wheelchair she was eye level with him, able to see clearly the heart-shaped stickers on his chest, the way it rose and fell in an even, but very fast, rhythm. Marley had been small at birth but she'd had chubby little cheeks that Bella and Rosalie had cooed over constantly, and she was born two weeks later, too. She wouldn't be classed as 'premature' per se, like this little guy at six weeks early.

Bella's baby boy didn't have an ounce of fat on him. He was so small, so fragile looking, his tiny body bony.

"Hi, baby boy. I'm your mummy." She inhaled a deep, shuddering breath. It hurt her tender insides but she ignored it, too focused on the sweet angel in front of her. "I'm sorry, sweet boy. I love you." A tear fell as she continued in a hushed voice, "I love you _so_ , _so_ much. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'll do better now, okay? I'll do better."

"Would you like to try feeding him, Bella?" Emma asked, having ducked away for a moment. The wide-eyed, fish-mouthed look Bella gave her in return must have said what she wasn't able to verbalize just then. Emma laughed lightly, recognizing an overwhelmed new mother when she saw one. "Here, we'll get your boy comfy, and I'll fetch him a late-night snack."

Petrified of hurting her baby, Bella almost said 'no' to holding him, but the words melted away in her mouth as soon as Emma settled him in her arms. He was miniature, but she felt his warmth, his perfect weight at her chest. He instinctively turned his head towards her and nuzzled at her breast, fussing quietly. It had been so long since she'd held a newborn. Five years, to be exact. But it felt right. _He_ felt right.

 _And if it weren't for Edward, I wouldn't be doing this right now_. The thought was sobering and brought tears to her eyes. _How do I ever repay Edward for giving me this chance?_

"Shh, shh, little man, you're okay. You're okay, Mummy's here," Bella murmured, rocking her baby gently and reaching up to stroke one of his hands. His eyelids slid open as he squeezed her finger, barely any pressure at all behind his grip, but Bella felt it. "You're so beautiful, baby boy. So _, so_ beautiful." In those big, milky blue eyes she saw everything. Life, love, contentment; all reflected back at her. "I don't know who you'll be, little man, but I know you'll be my everything. You and your big sister, baby boy, you're my world."

"He suits you, honey."

Bella gasped, turning her head to face Charlie. She'd forgotten he was there. He lowered his phone, revealing tears pooling in his eyes.

"Right, here we are."

The bottle the nurse handed Bella was miniature but it still took a few tries for her boy to latch on. Once he'd worked out what he was supposed to do, though, he suckled happily, his soft grunts caught on Charlie's phone camera as he recorded the momentous occasion. Bella let tears tumble over her cheeks and love fill her body to bursting as she gazed upon her son's face, taking in the intricate details, memorizing the tiny features that made him his own little person.

Bella was unable to stop herself analyzing his nose, his eyes and mouth, for similarities to his biological father. Paul had cropped brown hair and ice-blue eyes, and his son seemed to have inherited the first. His eyes were half-lidded as he ate hungrily, so she couldn't see whose eyes he had just yet. An abrupt feeling of sorrow leeched through her veins as she realized that one day, Marley and Bodhi would ask about their fathers – brothers Marcus and Paul. Biologically, they were cousins as well as siblings, but they'd never get to meet their fathers.

Even if Bella wanted to, she had no idea where she'd even begin looking for Paul. And Marcus…he was buried behind the house that had exploded four months previous.

As she paused her baby's meal to burp him, Bella desperately hoped the anesthetic wouldn't take long to leave her system so she could breast-feed. She'd been too scared to with Marley, but the guys had picked up a few bottles on their last-minute supply run so she'd managed fine bottle feeding. She wasn't so frightened now, and she knew of the benefits of breast versus bottle.

"Do you have a name picked out, Bella?"

She felt eyes on her and managed to look up long enough to see the curious expression on Charlie's face, the friendly question on Emma's, before returning her gaze to her son, vividly remembering the day she'd first heard his name.

" _For the love of God, whatever you do, please don't name your baby 'Candy.'"_

 _Bella snorted into her lemonade, shaking her head and looking across the room. Marley and Edward had been playing table-top basketball all morning but her daughter had finally crashed and was fast asleep over Edward's chest on the sofa Bella wasn't occupying. Charlie, having read about it in his_ What To Expect When You're Expecting _book, had left Bella a selection of baby name books to read through before he left for work that morning, so she'd been lying on the sofa watching Edward and Marley play while flicking through them. When Marley's energy had run out Edward had requested a book to look at, but as yet had failed to pick out any good ones. He was having far too much fun telling Bella names she shouldn't choose._

" _Oh, or 'Mercedes.' What poor girl wants to be saddled with the name of a car?" Edward tittered, shaking his head and flicking to the next page behind Marley's back. She was dead to the world so he rested the book on her and sucked leisurely on the cherry lolly Marley had given him._

 _Bella was studiously ignoring him and the humming he was doing every now and then. It was wreaking havoc on her hormones, so she kept her eyes averted as much as possible._

" _So are there any names I_ can _consider in that book? Or are they all unworthy?" Bella teased, attempting to distract herself from the lolly in his mouth, and from wondering why she suddenly wanted to be a cherry red sweet._

 _Edward shot a crooked grin over Marley's head and shrugged. "I haven't found any good ones yet, no. They're all too boring, or too common."_

" _Oh really? And what sort of name do you think I should choose, then?"_

 _Seriously pondering her question, Edward mulled it over for a few minutes. Bella was just beginning to get bored of the endless 'Tiffany'-'James'-'Jane' cycle when he piped up once more._

" _Something strong."_

 _Bella looked over at him, cocking her head in question._

" _He needs a strong name, something a bit unusual maybe, but tough."_

" _Well, you're helpful," she sighed, tossing the book in her hand towards the coffee table. It landed on the edge, barely managing to keep its balance. "What would you choose?"_

" _Huh?"_

" _You must've thought about it. What sort of names would you choose, if you ever had kids?"_

" _I like Valentina for a girl. It's Nonna Contessa's middle name."_

 _Valentina. Hm. Bella actually liked it. It had a pretty ring to it._

 _Curious now, because he'd surprised her by liking a nice name for a girl, Bella asked, "and for a boy?"_

 _Edward grinned wolfishly, crunching through the last bite of his lolly before tossing the stick over his shoulder. Bella was impressed when it landed neatly in the bin by the door. "I don't know if I want to say."_

" _Why?" Bella asked with a frown. "You didn't mind telling me your girl name."_

" _That's because I know that you've got a boy in there, Bella Bean," Edward admitted, nodding towards her belly. She was measuring just about perfectly, so she had quite the bump. She couldn't even see her own feet anymore, unless she twisted into uncomfortable shapes._

" _I promise I won't want it."_

" _You will. As soon as you hear it, you'll want it."_

" _No, I won't. I promise. Just tell me, ple-ease?"_

 _Edward never could resist Bella. Not when she was little and begging for extra ice cream before Charlie came home, and not now when she was adorably, ridiculously pregnant and had unleashed those stunning ocean eyes on him._

" _Fine," he huffed, an odd tingle in his stomach when he said it, so softly he wasn't sure she'd hear him. "I like 'Bodhi.' It means awakening or englightenment."s_

 _Bodhi._

 _Bella hummed, focusing her gaze intently on her hands. They rested at right angles on her bump, feeling the movements of her baby within. He or she was always most active at this time of day – late morning. She could see the pattern of footprints as her baby wriggled and kicked, wincing when a foot landed squarely in her ribs._

" _Uh, oh…you want it, don't you?" Edward teased with mirth plain in his eyes until Bella glanced up quickly. The teasing fell from his expression, replaced by amusement. "You do. You want to steal my name."_

" _No! No, I don't!" Bella protested, a rosy hue infusing her cheeks. "It's a nice name, but I don't want it.",_

" _You know what? You might as well take it. I'm probably never gonna have kids, anyway. Someone might as well get to use it."_

 _Bella frowned. "What? Why?"_

" _Why, what?"_

" _Well, why aren't you going to have kids? You're great with Marley, Carl-Roman, and Chase. They all adore you! You'd be amazing with your own."_

 _Momentarily, Bella was lost in images of Edward chasing copper-haired babies around the park, of him cradling his tiny newborn son or daughter, so proud. He'd be an amazing dad._

" _I don't know, I guess I just don't see myself settling down in time. Too much to do, you know?"_

 _Bella had stared at Edward for a long time after that conversation ended. Eventually, Marley had woken, and she'd dragged him into the kitchen for ice cream floats._

That was only a week ago and she hadn't put a lot of thought into names since then.

Knowing what she did now; knowing Edward had risked his own life to save hers and that of her unborn baby even after Riley's warning, Bella could only see her son having one name. Testing it out in her head first, Bella smiled, stroking her son's cheek. He'd fallen asleep on his bottle while she was lost in thought, and he didn't fuss at all when she gently removed the teat from his mouth to hand it to Emma. Running her fingertips over his pursed lips, tiny button nose, then through the downy soft smattering of chocolate hair atop his head, Bella sighed in contentment.

"Bodhi. His name is Bodhi." Looking up at Charlie with a small smile just as he snapped a photo of her cradling her son, she added, "Bodhi Edward Charlie. That's his name."


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**~ oOo ~**

 **I'm not gonna keep you long up here. This chapter  
will make a lot of you VERY happy!**

 **A couple of quick things...  
**

 **Bodhi is pronounced 'Bo-dee,'  
and there are two Pauls -  
\- Paul Oliver, FBI Agent  
and - Paul Lucien, Bodhi's father, who left  
before the story started.**

 **That's all I'll say.**

 **A/N to follow...**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 _Knowing what she did now; knowing Edward had risked his own life to save hers and that of her unborn baby even after Riley's warning, Bella could only see her son having one name. Testing it out in her head first, Bella smiled, stroking her son's cheek. He'd fallen asleep on his bottle while she was lost in thought, and he didn't fuss at all when she gently removed the teat from his mouth to hand it to Emma. Running her fingertips over his pursed lips, tiny button nose, then through the downy soft smattering of chocolate hair atop his head, Bella sighed in contentment._

" _Bodhi. His name is Bodhi." Looking up at Charlie with a small smile just as he snapped a photo of her cradling her son, she added, "Bodhi Edward Charlie. That's his name."_

 _ **Meanwhile, at the police station a few miles away…**_

The heavy _clang_ of the metal door sliding shut made Smith jump. He stumbled toward the pallet in the corner and fell onto it with a huff.

"Don't get too comfortable, asshole," the police officer called through the letterbox opening. Smith could only see the man's eyes through the thin hatch, but the amusement and disgust were clear as day.

"Why? Am I being moved somewhere else?" His voice was dead; detached and void of emotion.

The agent merely chuckled, slamming the hatch shut.

The cell was silent.

For a few minutes, at least. A large bluebottle fly buzzed around the small space, hitting Smith every now and then. Not that he noticed.

The police officers at the desk watched him on the monitor with a sick sense of morbid fascination.

"He doesn't look like a crazy person," the younger officer said.

"They rarely do, Jones. They rarely do."

Smith was sitting perfectly still with his hands folded in his lap, eyes closed, and head tipped back to face the concrete ceiling.

A few hours passed, the senior officer eventually heading down the hall to get a drink and use the facilities. Jones, a twenty-something rookie, slumped back in his chair and set his booted feet on the desk as he observed Smith on the screen. He really didn't look as crazy as the report made him sound. He just looked like a dirty, weary, old man.

Heavy footsteps drew Jones' attention away from Smith. Two suited men stood before him, their expressions serious, eyes hidden by matching pairs of tinted black glasses. "FBI. We're here for Smith. We've got a warrant."

Jones frowned, but he took the paper they handed over and skim-read it. "I'm sorry, he's not going anywhere until he goes before the judge in a few hours."

The taller, lighter haired agent sighed in frustration and slammed a hand on the counter top; Jones flinched. "Look, you can either let us do our job and take this piece of shit with us for questioning, or you can make this an issue and I can have the director on the phone in ten seconds to kick your ass from here to Timbuktu. Now, what will it be?"

Jones' gray eyes flickered down the hall. His senior officer would be pissed to not have been consulted, but he'd likely be even more pissed if Jones didn't do as the FBI said and wound up getting the station in trouble. There had already been issues because of the British police's hesitance in sharing information about the case with the FBI. And Jones _did_ like his job…He didn't want to lose it because he was too nervous to make a proper decision for himself.

"He's in cell B."

The agents nodded, their faces transformed by their sinister smiles. Jones felt a sudden frisson of panic as he led them toward Smith's cell.

That frisson turned into a tidal wave of fear when Harris returned from his snack break to find Smith gone.

Later, when the phone call came that Smith had been discovered just a few minutes away from the station after an anonymous tip off, Jones knew he was going to lose his job for letting Smith go.

Paul Oliver and Gregory Chance, a fellow agent, crossed their arms and grinned at the small monitor sitting on the dashboard. Officers swarmed the prostrate form on the gravel floor, the pool of blood surrounding it visible even from the CCTV camera some twenty feet off the ground. It had been a stroke of luck for Oliver and Chance that the camera was already there. They'd wanted to make sure the police found him without leaving any traces of themselves behind, so it was handy that they'd only needed to tap into an existing camera feed. Chance had already set everything up to blow the camera once they'd finished watching, and with the help of Benjamin, the FBI tech whizz, he knew they were watching on a heavily encrypted feed that nobody would be able to track.

"Do you think we were too hard on him?" Chance asked offhandedly as they watched the crime scene officers arrive in their white suits.

"Not even close," Oliver grumbled, a little disappointed he hadn't been able to draw out Smith's torment. But with the police looking for him, as well as the FBI agents who were unaware of this side mission, it was just too risky. He felt a pang of sick satisfaction as he watched the evidence of Smith's demise being bagged up.

Kidneys in one bag.

Intestines in another.

A third for a bunch of other, mangled organs. Oliver had lost his temper a little when removing those. He'd be surprised if the pathologists managed to sort spleen from liver.

His black heart was last.

A few more photos were taken before Smith was loaded into a body bag and carted away; his face was almost unrecognizable, his hands were tied tightly with zip-ties, and he had what looked and smelled like burns marring the flesh of his entire right leg; again, Oliver had gotten a little carried away.

His murder had been brutal, and he'd been kept awake for as long as possible. Nobody wanted him being let off lightly, and Oliver had derived a sadistic pleasure from hearing and seeing Smith's torture.

As he and Chance watched Smith be driven away, they decided it was about time they left, too. After all, they still had an alibi to create. They shoved the portable monitor into the backseat, Chance starting the engine and melting seamlessly into the traffic on the dual carriageway as Oliver pulled out his phone to send a text. He scrolled through his contacts until he found the right one, typing a simple, two-word message before hitting 'send' and tossing it into the backseat with the monitor and their holdall full of dirty clothes.

 _ **It's done.**_

 **~ oOo ~**

"Dad, this isn't necessary. I feel fine," Bella insisted vehemently, eyes darting towards the clock in panic as Charlie tried to soothe her by squeezing her shoulder. "We're going to be late, Dad."

"No, we're not. Don't worry. He's not going anywhere without you, okay?"

Bella huffed, allowing the doctor to continue his examination. He was trying, unsuccessfully, to hide his smile. She'd made one comment about her C-section wound being a little sore and Charlie had rushed her straight down to the ward for a check-up. Thankfully, they weren't very busy, so Dr. Stephens had stepped away from his paperwork to examine her.

A minute or two later he leaned back, grin firmly in place as he snapped off his gloves and tucked them into the bin attached to the trolley he'd taken them from. "Everything looks fine, Bella. It's healing up well. I'd say take a couple paracetamol and try not to do too much, and you'll be right as rain, okay?"

Charlie shot his daughter the stink-eye. "See, Bella? _Rest_ , he said."

Dr. Stephens looked between Charlie and Bella. "Have you not been resting?"

Scowling at Charlie's ensuing grunt, she admitted, "there's just so much I need to do, that's all. I'll take it a bit easier."

"So long as you do. I don't want to have to re-admit you."

With Bella's promise that she'd rest more Dr. Stephens declared her fit to leave, chuckling when she hurriedly yanked her t-shirt down and climbed from the bed.

"Big day today. You'd never know you're excited," he teased.

Bella's grin had never been wider as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "It's discharge day."

"I know," Dr. Stephens chuckled. "I hear from my daughter about him every day. He's doing well, I gather?"

"Oh right, I forgot Emma's your daughter. He's doing _so well_ , Doctor. He's such a fighter. My little soldier." As she spoke, Bella pulled her new phone from her pocket – a gift from Charlie, so that she could take photos and send them home from the hospital. "He's two weeks old now."

In the photo she showed Dr. Stephens, Marley was holding her new baby brother, completely nonplussed by the camera. She was staring intently at Bodhi, a big, toothy grin in place. She'd adored him on sight and wouldn't stop talking about 'baby Bodhi' to anyone who'd listen. And the pictures she'd drawn…There was barely any wall space left at any of the houses she frequented; Charlie's, Peter's, Alice and Jasper's, Carlisle and Esme's…all of them were littered with her artwork.

"Show him the one of Bodhi and me, Bella," Charlie urged.

Bella glanced towards the door, antsy to get going to her boy, but she relented and scrolled through the numerous photos she had of her family, finally landing on the one Charlie wanted. She turned the screen towards Dr. Stephens, smiling automatically at the belly laugh the picture drew from him.

"Oh, I can definitely see the likeness, Pawpaw."

In the two weeks since Bella's surgery, she'd seen a lot of Dr. Stephens. Marley had too, and Peter often joked that she only went to the hospital to see him. She adored the tall, dark-haired doctor, and always brought him presents.

Yesterday's was a drawing of him, Marley, 'baby Bodhi,' and Emma. Oh, and a half-eaten lolly.

Dr. Stephens had graciously accepted both gifts, but only pinned one to the board above his desk in his office.

"Dad decided to grow his mustache out, God knows why, and he thought it'd be funny to have Bodhi do the same, apparently."

In the photo proud Pawpaw Charlie held Bodhi, exactly a week old at the time. He was dressed in a simple white onesie – Bodhi, that is – and had a dummy in his mouth. It was this that made Dr. Stephens laugh. A black mustache had been printed on the clear plastic pacifier, making it look as though the newborn had a mustache to rival his Pawpaw's.

" _Mummy? Uncle Archie, where's Mummy and Pawpaw?"_

"Ah, that's your cue, I think," Dr. Stephens said laughingly, opening the door to the examination room once he was sure Bella had righted herself.

"Oh! Dr. Stephens! Hi!"

Marley was climbing the legs of her favorite doctor before Bella could tell her otherwise. She gave her daughter a reproachful look when she stepped out into the hall, watching Marley settle herself on Dr. Stephen's hip.

"Ooh, guess what!"

Dr. Stephens pulled an appropriately confused face, Bella and Charlie watching with smiles on their faces. "Hmmm, you had a haircut?"

Marley rolled her eyes – a trait she'd picked up from Carl-Roman. " _No_ , silly. Guess again."

"Okay, not a haircut. You…went to the zoo?"

"Ah…" This cut Marley short, because she _had_ been to the zoo since she saw Dr. Stephens last. Archie had taken her with his boys and Kristen. Bella had been gutted to miss her first zoo visit, but Marley promised to show her around next time. "Well, _yes_ , but there's somethin' else. You're rubbish at guessin' so I'll tell you. Baby Bodhi is coming home!"

By the time Dr. Stephens had satisfied Marley's need to chat Bella was more than ready to be getting her boy from the NICU. Dr. Stephens offered to walk up with them, ushering Bella ahead and promising to entertain Marley on the way. Bella accepted his suggestion willingly, leaving Charlie behind, because even though she trusted Dr. Stephens, she wasn't comfortable leaving Marley with anyone but the family just yet.

"Morning, Bella!" Emma sang as Bella scrubbed in quicker than ever before, still remembering to be thorough. She then darted through the room to Bodhi at the end. He was wide awake this morning, eyes open and alert as she leaned over his cot to grin at him. For the first few days of his life, he'd had them shut the majority of the time. She hadn't been able to get a proper look at their color until the last few days, and there had been smiles all round and pictures aplenty when it became clear whose eyes he'd inherited.

"Oh, look at those beautiful eyes," Emma cooed, joining Bella over Bodhi. "He's definitely got your eyes, Mummy."

Her words warmed Bella from the inside-out. "Hey, baby boy. You ready to come home?"

Bodhi peered up through wide, blue-green eyes, wriggling his little legs.

"I got him dressed earlier this morning, but I wasn't sure if you'd changed your mind on what you wanted to put him in. I figured you'd like to do that anyway, so I just put him in the blue onesie you like, with the teddy on it," Emma explained, carefully folding the blankets over the side of the cot. At this point, Bodhi had quite the collection of gifts, most of which had been taken home the previous day. A couple of blankets and a selection of clothes had been left purely so Bella would have a choice if she changed her mind on his going-home outfit overnight. She hadn't, and she was glad Emma hadn't gotten him ready for her.

As adorable as he looked, kicking his legs and waving his tiny fists in the air in a soft blue preemie onesie decorated with teddy bears, Bella knew he'd look even cuter in the outfit she'd chosen.

"All right, little soldier. Let's get you dressed, huh?"

In the two weeks since Bodhi's birth, Bella had gotten used to feeling his barely-there weight in her hands. She was still petrified of breaking him, but after two weeks of guzzling milk like a champ, he'd finally started to fill out a little. As Bella carefully scooped him from the cot to place him on the changing table, Emma cheerfully chimed that he'd tipped the scales at five pounds, thirteen ounces earlier in the morning during the consultant rounds.

He'd gained over a pound since his early birth, putting on an average of forty grams a day despite the doctors warning Bella he could be in the NICU for some weeks and predicting an average weight gain of twenty to thirty grams a day.

Just as Archie said the day he was born, Bodhi was a true little soldier. A fighter, just like Bella.

Charlie and Marley arrived with Dr. Stephens just as Bella finished dressing Bodhi. She tugged on his gray booties, turning to smile at Marley. She was still chattering away. Now she'd started, there was no stopping her. She was still quieter around new people, but with her family? Marley rarely kept quiet for longer than a minute or two.

"Hey, baby Bodhi," she whispered, stretching right up onto her tiptoes to smile at her baby brother. He turned his head towards her voice, the pair staring into each other's matching gaze. Bella quickly snapped a photo, tears welling up in her eyes. They adored each other already.

"Well hello there, bud. Looking handsome," Charlie commented wryly, peering over Bella's shoulder at his youngest grandchild.

"Doesn't he? I saw it, and it just…it's perfect."

Charlie nodded, snapping a photo on his own phone. "Sending this to Pete, that okay?"

Bella nodded, returning her attention to Bodhi to snap a few photos of her own. She'd seen the outfit online and couldn't resist buying it, like she'd told her dad. He was sporting a white bodysuit with the words 'Hello World' emblazoned in the center of a circle made of gray arrows, and a pair of sweatpants with a wide gray waistband and cuffs, the white pant legs decorated with teal, gray, and black arrows. He had a matching white hat bearing the same pattern, but she hadn't put it on him just yet. The NICU was notoriously warm so he wouldn't need it until they were ready to go.

Bodhi had one more feed in the NICU, Bella sitting in the chair beside his cot for the last time, before she tucked his hat onto his little head, covering his tufts of hair. It had started to lighten already, and many people had placed bets on it turning the same shade of strawberry blond as his grandfather and mother. Well, his mother's natural color, anyway. Bella had grown attached to her new, chocolate brown locks.

After a nappy change and cuddles with all the NICU nurses whose hearts he'd stolen in his short, two weeks of life, Bodhi was finally passed back to his mother to be tucked into his car seat. Bella had been recommended a Tiny Traveller, which was basically a newborn insert for the car seat, but designed for even tinier babies than usual. It gave Bodhi extra head and neck protection, as well as supporting his tummy and back while he traveled. He looked lovely and cozy once he was all strapped in.

With her boy secure in his seat, sleeping soundly with a full belly and clean bottom, Bella said her tearful goodbyes to the nurses and doctors who'd helped her through the past fourteen days, soothing her when she sobbed over her tiny baby, and laughing with her when he did his first poo mid-nappy change.

"Keep in touch, okay? I need my little soldier fix," Emma said, dashing tears from her cheeks.

Bella smiled, hugging her hard before stepping back to watch Charlie pick up Bodhi's seat, Marley 'helping' by carrying his binky and the teddy bear she'd brought in for him from home. 'Only the light things,' she'd insisted.

"I'll send you a text later, when we get home."

Emma's smile turned sympathetic as she remembered the pit stop Bella had to make before she took Bodhi home. Charlie had insisted she could wait, but she was adamant she couldn't take Bodhi home without making one vital stop first. "Lots of photos, okay?"

"Of course! I'll take loads."

With that and a few more hugs from various members of staff all wanting one last peek at Bodhi, Charlie, Bella, Marley, and Bodhi left the NICU for the final time. Marley skipped along beside her mother, their hands linked, while Charlie walked a few steps behind with Bodhi. Bella couldn't help but let a few tears leak free. Tucking his blankets under her arm to free up a hand, Bella pulled her phone from her pocket and turned, snapping a quick photo of Charlie looking down at his sleeping grandson as he walked.

"Are you sure you don't want to just head home, Bella? Edward would—"

"I'm sure, Dad."

Charlie sighed, the smile playing on his lips beneath his burgeoning mustache making it very obvious that he'd expected her answer. "All right then."

It only took a few minutes, and a quick trip down two floors in the elevator, much to Marley's delight, to get to their destination. Charlie had told her what they were doing on the way to the hospital, and she was incredibly excited. She'd even brought the children's camera Peter had bought her for the zoo, and as they arrived at the door Bella had become very familiar with over the past fortnight, Marley declared that she was 'gonna take _loads_ of pictures, Pawpaw!'

The nurse at the station nearby smiled and nodded when Bella caught her eye before entering, waving her ahead. She, too, had become familiar; after all, Bella visited the ward every day.

"Hey, Edward," Marley sang, hopping neatly onto the chair beside his bed.

A small part of Bella expected to hear him chime his typical 'hey, little sweet,' but of course, it didn't come. He didn't make any noise at all. Apart from Marley's chatter about the zoo, baby Bodhi, and how she got to walk the Whitlock's dog, Bonnie, with Jasper and Clarke, and the gentle whoosh of a ventilator, the room was silent.

"Mummy, can I stick up my new pictures for Edward?"

Bella nodded with a sad smile, wincing slightly as she sank into the chair her daughter had vacated. "Of course, baby girl. He'll love them." She watched as Marley stretched onto her toes to _Blutack_ her latest masterpieces to the windows. She was starting to run out of room.

"I'll go talk to Maggie, see what's going on today. You all right here?" Charlie asked softly, giving his daughter's shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving. Bella brushed tears from her eyes, leaning over to hold Edward's hand. It was slightly cool so she tucked it beneath his blankets, unable to look at the snow-white dressing covering a large portion of his right side. Staring at him through tear-blurred eyes, Bella swallowed hard. Gratefulness battled with annoyance. The first because he saved her life, and the second because he was already injured before he even got there. He should never have been so stupid, risking his life for hers.

"It's me again, Edward." There were no signs that he'd heard her, no movement in his fingers when she squeezed them.

He was pale, too quiet, and too still. Edward was never completely quiet. He always had a hand playing a tune on his thighs, or some kind of sweet to crunch on.

"Show him baby Bodhi, Mummy. Show Edward baby Bodhi!" Marley appeared at her mother's side, leaning down to poke at her sleeping brother before pouting up at Bella. "Why's he sleeping again?"

"Babies sleep a lot, baby girl. Remember we talked about it? When you were little, you slept lots, too, like Bodhi."

Marley huffed. "All right. Can we show Edward?"

Bella hesitated. It was a bad idea to wake a sleeping baby, she knew that.

Still, when Charlie entered the room quietly a few minutes later, she was carefully lifting Bodhi into her arms, wincing as he began to fuss. "Shh, shh, you're okay, baby boy."

"He okay?"

Catching Charlie's eye, she nodded. "He's fine. Cranky because I woke him, that's all. What did the doctor say?"

Charlie's eyes shifted to Edward then, the pain in them obvious. "They stopped his sedation; late last night he had his last dose. They're pleased with his wound, and there's no sign of infection."

"Wait…" Bella frowned, stroking Bodhi's forehead before gently tapping his binky until he accepted it, though he remained restless. "If he doesn't have the sedation anymore, why's he still asleep?"

"Just a matter of waiting for it to wear off now, Bella. He's had a rough time. They reckon it'll be later today, or early tomorrow."

Sighing, Bella sat heavily on the chair beside Edward's bed. "Why won't you wake up?" She whispered.

"C'mon, Mummy, baby Bodhi wants a snuggle with Edward. Don't you, baby Bodhi? Don't you?" Marley cooed over her brother, peppering his head with kisses.

"All right, impatient pants. Out of the way, please."

Marley scooted down, carefully taking a seat by Edward's knees as Bella gently moved Edward's arm with one hand, cradling Bodhi with the other. When she'd made a small, nest-shaped space between Edward's arm and torso, she laid Bodhi down and took a step back, exhaling a long, shaky breath.

When the doctors told Bella, two days previous, that she'd be able to take Bodhi home today as long as he had no setbacks, she'd been unable to imagine taking Bodhi home without this pit stop.

Without letting him meet the man who'd saved his life.

Seeing him there, tucked into Edward's side, Bella felt tears rolling over her cheeks, her heart racing. It was a bittersweet sight.

She heard Charlie taking photos, and Marley chattering about wanting to be in them, but it was another sound she focused on. Frowning, she hastily brushed tears from her face and looked towards the heart monitor in the corner.

Edward's heartbeat was getting faster. Bodhi squirmed and fussed a little, finally getting comfortable. He settled with his head turned slightly towards Edward, contentedly sucking on his binky, one tiny hand resting on Edward's muscular forearm. As the baby calmed and quieted, so did the monitor.

A nurse let herself in a few seconds later, having seen the readings on the screen in the nurses' station. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Wendy. His heart rate…it went up. Did you see that? I put Bodhi beside him and his heart rate increased. That's got to mean something, right?"

Wendy smiled sadly, shrugging. "It may just be his body responding to the lack of sedation. Sorry, I know you want him to wake. We all do."

Even as she watched Wendy check Edward's readings before leaving, Bella had a feeling in her gut that they were close. Edward's eyelids flickered every time Bodhi wriggled, or made a sound in his sleep. His heart rate increased again when Bodhi whimpered to be fed an hour later, and again when he needed his nappy changing a little while after his bottle.

Edward was coming back to them, Bella knew it.

If only he could do it faster.

 **~ oOo ~**

Two days went by with minimal improvement in Edward's condition.

Two whole days of waiting, watching, and hoping for a sign of life.

Edward's grandparents arrived and immediately fell in love with Bella, Marley, and Bodhi. Enrico and Contessa were two of the loveliest people Bella had ever met, and she'd cried when Marley had called Contessa 'Nonna' the first time. Carl-Roman had adopted her as his 'Nonna,' and after hearing him refer to her as such, Marley had just picked it up and ran with it.

They proved unwavering in their support of Bella, accepting her into their family immediately when they saw the bond she shared with their grandson, and heard about their relationship from her family and friends. Antonio, Edward's father, was much the same, having met both Bella and Rosalie when they were little. His wife was more standoffish, though Contessa admitted one day when she and Bella were alone with the children that she was the same way with everybody.

Bella had more important things to worry about than the fact that Edward's mother wasn't warm and fuzzy like her son.

A routine quickly developed.

Each morning, before the sun was up, Bella fed Bodhi his first bottle of the day and rose with him, making breakfast for the army of friends and family rallying round.

Eleazer, Carmen, and their family all pitched in with carpools and keeping the two homes tidy while their occupants were otherwise occupied.

As soon as Rosalie's flu had completely cleared, she got stuck in helping Bella in the kitchen, as well as looking after Marley and Bodhi.

Charlie and Peter alternated days at work, deciding that for now at least, one of them staying home while the other was onsite would suffice.

With Kristen still working hard, Archie took a leave of absence from work and became chief babysitter, often taking care of Carl-Roman, Chase, Marley, and Bodhi while the others bustled between the hospital and their homes. He managed to hide his frustration at his fiancée's actions well, but it became more and more obvious as the days went by and the family saw less and less of her.

Esme and Carlisle became frequent visitors and babysitters, and Bella found a lot of comfort in Esme's arms on numerous occasions.

On the third day of Edward's self-imposed coma, Bella was sitting beside his bed, Bodhi fast asleep in his car seat on the floor. Not for the first time, she was grateful she'd listened to her dad and bought the very expensive, but incredibly lifesaving, Cybex Cloud Q car seat. Her tiny boy was always comfortable in it, particularly with the feature that allowed her to recline it almost completely, meaning she didn't have to move him to let him sleep. He could stay tucked into his car seat, but recline to sleep in a safer position than scrunched up in a traditional seat. Considering the amount of time Bella spent traveling between the hospital and home, and sitting in Edward's hospital room, the reclining seat function had proven to be a godsend. That said, she always brought the bassinet with her and transferred him into it as soon as possible. The idea of him being in there for too long made her uncomfortable now that she'd heard the research and knew about the risks of babies being left in car seats for too long.

Holding Edward's hand in hers, Bella read from the sports pages in the paper. He'd mentioned being an avid, American football fan so she made sure to find out the results of all games, including the ones played at various colleges so she could relay them to him. By the time they were out of the way Bodhi wanted his next bottle, so she settled into the chair next to Edward, humming a quiet tune as Bodhi eagerly chugged his lunch.

Her eyes darted around the room, finding the homemade frame next to Edward's head. It contained the drawing he'd said he wanted moments before he fell unconscious in the warehouse. Charlie had been all-too-willing to bring it, as well as the frame Marley made, to the hospital, so it took a place of pride at his bedside. Keeping it company was a picture of him with Marley, Carl-Roman, and Chase. It was taken the day before Archie's birthday, when they'd made his cake together in Charlie's kitchen.

It was as she sighed and gazed at Edward's face, at his laughter-flushed cheeks, that she felt it.

He gripped her hand.

"Edward?" She gasped, awe and hope battling one another for dominance. "Edward, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can."

The excited squeal that flew from her lips when she felt gentle pressure around her fingers startled Bodhi; he let out a surprised grunt, staring up at his mother in bewilderment. It also drew Archie's attention, as he'd been standing just outside the room talking to a nurse. He threw the door open, taking in the excited look on his sister's face as she declared that Edward was waking up.

A few minutes later the pair stood side-by-side, each with an arm around the other's waist, Bodhi tucked against Bella's chest, as doctors and nurses swarmed Edward's body. After an hour of running tests, they allowed Bella back in.

With renewed hope and a full-to-bursting heart, she took her place at his side, left hand clasped with his right as she drew a pair of bright green eyes with her free hand, Bodhi content in a sling on her chest.

 **~ oOo ~**

 _ **One week later**_

The hum of excitement lit the expressions of everybody in the house, their joy palpable, though none more so than Bella's. She bustled around issuing soft orders like a mother hen, her baby son strapped to her chest in a sling. Everyone knew not to argue with her, though none of them were inclined to in the first place.

Hustling the last of the guests into the kitchen for one final check of all the details, Bella felt the first stirrings of nerves infiltrating the perpetually sunny mood she'd woken up in.

When Heidi pointed out that it looked as though it may rain, ruining the plan for a barbecue, Archie knew it was time to leave. "All right, squirt," he chuckled, looping an arm around Bella's shoulders to lead her towards the front door. "Let's go get the guest of honor and leave the party-pooping to the others, yeah?"

She huffed and nodded, but her smile was firmly back in place by the time she, Archie, and Bodhi reached the car. Nothing and no-one was going to destroy her good mood.

Edward was finally coming home.

It had been over three weeks since the shooting, since her kidnapping and Bodhi's birth, and today was finally the day Edward would leave his hospital room. The plan was for him to return to Charlie's house, where he could rest and recuperate. Archie had brought over the futon from his house for Edward to sleep on and it had been placed in the boys' bedroom. His aunt and uncle, Esme and Carlisle, had offered up their house, but with their hectic work schedules, Bella had argued it made more sense for him to stay at Charlie's for the time being. She'd be there to watch over him, as would Rosalie and whoever was home with them. Besides, Esme and Carlisle spent more time at Charlie's house than their own, anyway. Marley had adopted them as 'Aunt Mimi' and 'Uncle Carl,' so they often spent the majority of their evenings or days off in the Swan house at her request.

The journey to the hospital was a short one, though it felt like years to Bella who'd been anxiously awaiting this day for weeks. Every day since Edward woke up, she'd been envisioning this journey. To know it was finally happening…that he was finally coming home, had her more than a little excited.

In fact, Archie noticed from the corner of his eye, she was almost bouncing in her seat as he turned the car into the car park with a grin on his face. "You ready to bust him outta here, squirt?"

"Hurry _up_ , Arch! He's waiting, you know."

Before he'd even unclipped his belt, she was out of the car and lifting Bodhi from the backseat, still in his carrier. Her nerves in crowds or around strangers were as strong as ever, so she allowed Archie to tuck her into his side as they made their way across the car park and through the seemingly endless corridors.

Just as she'd said, Edward was indeed waiting. And impatiently, at that. The nurses tasked with looking after him were incredibly amused, his roguish charm and devilish, dimpled grin setting many hearts aflutter. Not that he was interested in the state of anybody's heart but a certain young Swan's.

When Bella and Archie reached him, Edward was sitting up in bed tugging at his gray hoodie strings, fidgeting with the zipper, and tapping annoying rhythms on the rails on either side of the bed.

"Argh, about time, too," he huffed in faux reproach as Bella, Archie, and Bodhi appeared in the entrance to his room. "Can I go now, Mary-Beth, _please?_ " Jutting his lower lip out and harnessing the full power of his grassy green eyes, Edward pleaded with the nurse trailing in behind his friends.

She rolled her eyes at his antics, smiling, but a little saddened to see him go. She'd looked forward to his smile each morning. "Oh, I suppose we can spare you, Edward. Now, you listened carefully to everything I said about changing your dressings and making sure to—"

"Yes, yes, I heard it all. _Please,_ can I go home now? I swear I'll do everything they tell me, scout's honor." He gestured at Bella and Archie laughing in the doorway, before using his right index finger to draw a cross over his heart.

Mary-Beth snorted while helping Edward stand, handing him off to Archie when he hurried over to help. "Okay, well as long as you promise." She tossed a wink at Bella, making her giggle. Mary-Beth and Bella had already exchanged numbers, having bonded over the duration of Edward's stay. "All right, Mister, let's get you out of here."

"That's what I've been trying to do for _days_ ," he teased, delighting in the quiet peal of laughter it drew from Bella. God, how he'd missed that sound.

Mary-Beth and Bella followed Archie, carrying Edward's holdall and supporting him, into the corridor. As she watched the two men dog each other over the wheelchair Edward sank into, replaying the beautiful moment of teasing between Bella and Edward from moments beforehand, Mary-Beth mused that it likely wouldn't be long before Bella and Edward admitted what everybody else already knew – they were made for each other.

Nurses popped out to say 'goodbye,' Bella and Archie laughing when he blushed at all the rosy cheeks and sparkly eyes left in his wake when they finally moved down the hall towards the exit. Eager to get moving, Edward gestured for Archie to go faster. At Bella's sharp glare and tap on the shoulder, he attempted to appear repentant and failed miserably, his pout morphing into a bone-melting, lopsided, double-dimpled grin the nurses could only imagine, because there was only one person who garnered such a smile, and that was Bella.

Not soon enough in Edward's opinion, they reached Archie's car. The men argued briefly – Archie wanting to help Edward into the car, while he insisted he could do it himself – until Bella stepped in to point out that the longer they spent in the car park the longer it would take to get home. Edward eventually clambered in gingerly with Archie hovering over him. Bella secured Bodhi before climbing into the back with him, her smile a mile-wide.

Edward's eyes flicked from the front windshield to the rear-view mirror where he caught her gaze, tossing her a playful wink seconds before Archie returned from dropping the wheelchair back at reception. She flushed lightly, putting a broad, self-satisfied smile on his face as they left the car park.

Unable to help himself, Edward's eyes quickly returned to Bella, her attention having shifted to the sketch pad she pulled from Bodhi's changing bag. He watched her hand fly effortlessly across the page. He took in the way her chocolate curls tumbled artfully over one shoulder. Long eyelashes unhindered by make-up and left their natural, blonde color shadowed radiant, blue-green eyes.

Aware of the party gathered at Charlie's house, Edward couldn't help but wish he was going home to a quiet house with just Bella, Marley, and Bodhi for company.

Sometimes it was hard, especially in the past few days, to remember why he'd decided to keep his feelings to himself. However, he was also very aware that any, too-fast move could quash any chance of their friendship ever turning into _more_.

That said, as every minute passed in her company, he found himself more and more enamored, unable to stop his mind from wondering whether she felt the emotions he did, even only incrementally.

Wondering if she ever would.

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Meanwhile, at a nearby safe house…**

Emmett sighed, throwing his head back against the leather sofa. "Are you kidding?"

A frustrated huff came through the phone in his hand. _"Look, I've got a lot of red tape to get through, all right? It's not as easy as just saying, 'off you go, then!'"_

Riley's explanation didn't come close to easing Emmett's annoyance. When he'd been placed in Witness Protection he hadn't fully realized all of the implications; being unable to rejoin Rosalie and Bella being the one he disagreed with the most.

" _I'll do my best and push the issue, but Emmett, this might take days, rather than hours."_

Emmett promised – despite how much it made his chest ache to do so – that he'd stay put; for now, at least. Riley, in turn, promised to speed the process along as quickly as he was able so that Emmett could lose James as his constant sidekick to join Bella and Rosalie. All the time he was under the protection of the FBI, and while they were still wrapping their case against Garrett Smith and any accomplices, it would be highly irresponsible of him to potentially lead anyone to the girls by insisting he be allowed to visit them before Riley gave him the go ahead.

It didn't matter that Smith was dead, though Emmett did feel a jolt of satisfaction to know he could never again hurt Bella or Rosalie, or the sweet babies.

Emmett _knew_ this.

But he didn't like it; not one little bit.

Every time he thought about Bella and Marley, and the sweet new baby she'd recently birthed, his lips tipped up into an involuntary grin before falling when he realized that he couldn't see the little girl's sweet smiles or cuddle her new baby brother.

And Rosalie…

His heart hurt when he thought of her. He missed her occasional dry humor and her soft smile. Every night he dreamed of being able to hold her and run his fingers through her hair, of being able to tease smiles onto her lips and laughter from her soul.

Emmett had never felt this way before – about anyone.

This was why he agreed to stay put and do as Riley told him. He was all-too-aware that Riley was only allowing him to stay in England after his escapades with James because he'd explained how badly he needed to see the girls again. As much as it bothered him to know they were just a couple of miles away in their homes, Emmett couldn't risk pissing Riley off and getting himself sent back to the States.

Still, as he joined James in for dinner a few hours later and obsessively checked his pay-as-you-go cell phone for news from Riley – of which there was none – Emmett was undeniably restless and cranky. The FBI agents instinctively knew he wasn't in the mood for teasing and Emmett returned to his room as soon as he'd picked at his meal enough to realize he wasn't the slightest bit hungry. He flopped onto his creaky bed and stared at the off-white ceiling, hands folded behind his head, chest aching with a pain he wasn't prepared to accept for what it was just yet. His gray-blue eyes danced toward the clock on the wall beside the door.

 _8:44pm._

The waiting game continued.

* * *

 **So as I didn't want to keep you long up top, I thought  
** **I'd do my usual A/N at the bottom today :)**

 **Oh, with regards to Garrett? YOU'RE WELCCOME! ;)  
I know there won't be any people out there bemoaning his death.  
I'm certainly not! I had always planned to have him meet a grisly  
end. I just couldn't stomach the thought of our girls facing  
a lengthy trial or having to see him again and relive their ordeal.**

 **Plus, I guess I just have a bit of a brutal side? Who knew!**

 **As always, big, ginormous, HUGE thank yous to my wonderful dream team,  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **.  
Without you two I'd be lost, and Pinky Promises would be a mess. So  
THANK YOU!**

 **That said, I have tweaked bits and pieces since  
they looked it over, so all mistakes are mine!**

 **Also, thank you to each and every one  
of you for taking the time to read and review.  
It truly does mean a lot to me! I try my absolute  
best to respond to all of your reviews, particularly  
if you've got questions. This week has been mega  
busy - apparently we have a wedding to pay for or  
something *teehee***

 **I've done a ten hour day today on three hours' sleep,  
so I'm going to post this and look forward to your  
wonderful words when I wake up tomorrow and head  
back off to work at 6am...**

 **Z**


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**~ oOo ~**

 **So, I've had a bit of a _blergh_ day...  
Home-renting issues; long story, but boils  
down to a grumpy, disappointed me.**

 **And what's great for turning my frown  
upside down? An early Pinky Promises update!**

 **Huge, ginormous THANK YOUs to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
Without you two, this would be one helluva  
mess.**

 **And also a massive THANK YOU to each and  
every one of you for taking the time to read and review.  
It truly does make my day to see the little numbers  
tick up in the stats section, and I love the ping of my email  
with every lovely review. You've honestly blown  
me away with how much you love these characters  
and how well you've taken them all to your hearts.  
I try my best to respond to them all, but all the overtime  
I'm doing for work at the moment is wrecking my brain!**

 **This early update means I won't be posting on Sunday,  
but I may or may not have a little outtake from the POV  
of a certain ranchhand friend in the works for later in the week...**

 **I won't keep you long, but I just have one more thing to say:  
**

 **\- I hope you're ready for a reunion ;)  
**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

"Sweet dreams only, little sweet. Promise?"

Marley grinned sleepily, nodding. "Pinky promise, Ed— _yawn_ —ward."

It made Edward a little wistful for the way she used to say his name, now that she'd started saying it correctly. Her sweet voice calling out 'Ed-wood' for the first time would always be one of his most treasured memories.

"Good." Edward gently tucked Mr. Eddie in beside her, making sure the covers were nice and tight around her legs like she preferred, before turning to leave on tiptoes. He didn't expect to see the dark silhouette of a body in the doorway.

"Holy shit."

"Sorry!" Bella held her hands up, wincing. "I didn't mean to make you jump."

"That's okay," Edward sighed, grinning when he realized it was Bella. "Everything all right?"

She nodded, eyes darting between Marley, already fast asleep and snoring, and Edward. Marley had insisted he be the one to read her a bedtime story, and he'd been far too happy to even consider saying 'no.' Without waking Marley, Edward crept from the room, joining Bella in the hallway.

"Where's the little man?" e whispered, edging down the stairs behind her. He focused on the swish of her ponytail instead of the pain it caused in his side. Edward made it to the bottom with a soft puff of relief; it hadn't been as bad as the way up. He'd carried Marley, knowing it was stupid to do so, but having missed her so badly he couldn't help himself.

"Right here," Bella said quietly, a smile in her voice. They walked into the living room together, Edward immediately spotting Bodhi. He was in some sort of nest-shaped cushion on the coffee table, chubby legs kicking above the edges, soft coos making Edward grin. "This," touching the side of the baby seat, "is the best invention _ever_ ," she told him, kneeling beside Bodhi in his nest. Taking a seat on the edge of the nearest sofa, Edward felt tears sting his eyes as he watched Bella tickle her son's sides, leaning in to kiss his head. He had her hair; her natural color, anyway.

"What is it?"

"A _DockATot._ It's American, apparently. Dad said Carl-Roman had one as a baby and it was a godsend. Figured we'd try it, and so far, Bodhi is a definite fan."

Basically, it looked like a pool noodle looped round and joined at the bottom, with a cushioned piece of fabric underneath for the baby to lie on. It _did_ look comfortable, Edward had to admit. And Bodhi definitely seemed to like his _DockATot_ well enough. Saying that, from what Edward had heard and seen so far, he was a pretty content baby anyway.

"Did you enjoy seeing everyone?" Bella asked softly, pulling Edward's thoughts away from the squirming bundle of joy in front of him.

"I did," he admitted easily. "It was really great seeing Nonna and Nonno."

"They're so lovely, Edward. You're very lucky to have them." She laughed, then. "Marley adopted them, did you see? She adores Enrico; even calls him 'Nonno,' and Contessa, 'Nonna.'"

"I heard that, yeah," Edward chuckled, resting back against the cushions. "They love her, too. I've been informed I need to bring you out to Rome, stat. Something about Nonna promising to show Marley the pool?"

Bella smiled fondly, taking Bodhi from his nest as he began to fuss. She sat on the sofa beside Edward. "She's obsessed with the idea of going swimming."

"Well, you just let me know when you're ready and we'll go for a holiday in Rome. I'll show you all the sights, Marley can swim in the pool as much as she likes, and my little buddy here can tag along, too."

Watching Edward lean over to speak to Bodhi, Bella realized something.

"You haven't held him yet today, have you?"

"Ah, no. Everyone else was too busy hogging him."

Bella laughed lightly, but it was true. She felt as though she'd barely held Bodhi all day. Everyone had wanted to kiss his little head, to feel the warmth of his tiny body. Charlie had shown him to all the guests; Marley at his side repeatedly pointing to Bodhi's head as she introduced her family and friends to 'baby Bodhi.' "Here, do you think you'll be okay? I don't want him to hurt your side."

"Quit your fussing, woman, and give him here."

As Bella settled the soft, warm weight of Bodhi against his chest, Edward tucked him close, suddenly awash with emotion as he stared down into his wide-eyed face. After his nap, she'd dressed him in a sweet pair of mustard yellow sweatpants with gray and white cuffs, and a pair of brown, faux-suede sneakers. On his top half, he wore a navy T-shirt emblazoned with the words 'Don't worry, be happy,' and a soft, pale blue denim shirt. Now, the shoes were long-gone, and he was sans hat, so Edward could feel his toes curled against his forearm, the feather-soft brush of blond curls on his cheek as he leaned down to inhale the scent synonymous with babies. He smelled perfect; a mixture of baby powder and Bella's perfume, and felt even better cradled in Edward's arms.

Abruptly, Edward came to a realization that both thrilled and terrified him.

He felt whole. For the first time, maybe ever, but certainly for the first time in a long while, Edward felt completely and utterly whole.

The quiet _click_ of a camera made him look up, finding Bella tearing up behind her camera. "Sorry, I just…it's a beautiful picture. I didn't know if…if I'd ever get to see it."

Edward's heart thumped unevenly as he gazed at Bella, seeing a procession of emotions crossing her face. He'd wondered, too. As he'd lain on the ground with his head pillowed on her lap, blood seeping by the pint from his midsection, Edward's final thoughts had been of Marley, Bella, and the baby she carried. He'd wondered if he'd get to meet him – as he'd been convinced she was carrying a boy –, wondered whether he'd ever get to hold him, or hear Marley gush over how much she adored her new little brother, because he'd known she would.

"Bella…" he breathed, even then not knowing what, exactly, he meant to say.

She shook her head, sniffling and dashing tears from her cheeks. "It's okay, I'm just all kinds of emotional at the moment."

"C'mere." Smothering a wince, Edward held out his arm and gestured for Bella to come closer. He hadn't even noticed her moving from the sofa to get the camera, distracted as he'd been by Bodhi. She settled against his side, careful not to press on his wound. Edward hugged her closer, not caring in the least about the twinge of pain it caused. It was worth it to be able to hold her, just for a little while. "You really thought you'd get rid of me that easily?"

Bella shook her head, trying to laugh instead of cry, because _yes_ , she really had thought she was going to lose him.

"Hey, listen to me, Bella." She tipped her gaze up to his, trust and sweetness and everything Edward loved about her shining back at him through those beautiful ocean eyes. "I'm here for the long haul, all right? I'm not going anywhere."

He couldn't be sure, but Edward was sure he saw a flicker of his own emotions mirrored back at him within Bella's gaze. She blinked slowly.

He wanted, so badly, more than ever before, to lean in and close the gap between their lips. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. He wanted to feel her hair between his fingers, her skin under his palms.

He wanted her to want those things, too, but he didn't know that she ever would.

Coughing, Edward gently shuffled Bodhi back into Bella's arms. "I, uh, I'm gonna head up…" He gestured towards the ceiling, and she nodded blankly, turning her gaze down to her sleeping son.

"Okay, yeah. That's…that's fine. I'm just going to feed him and go up myself."

"All right." Hesitating on his way past, he reached out to brush his fingertips over the skin bared by Bella's off-the-shoulder slouch t-shirt. "Night, Bella. Sweet dreams."

"S-sweet dreams, Edward."

Walking up the stairs to his makeshift bedroom that night, Edward felt a shift in his psyche. He loved Bella, with all of his heart and soul, he knew that already. He'd known if for quite some time.

But it was in those moments, as he lay awake listening to her humming to Bodhi on their way to bed twenty minutes later, that he realized something else.

There was no doubt that he loved her, had been in love with her for months. But now, picturing her smiling between her children, happy, content, and _safe_ , there wasn't a shred of doubt in Edward's mind that not only did he love her now, he'd love her always.

And maybe, just maybe, whether those feelings were ever reciprocated or not, he was okay with that.

 **~ oOo ~**

Irina Denali was a sadist.

Of this, Bella was certain. In the weeks following Bodhi's birth, she set Bella and Rosalie new targets at their sessions each week. Most of them were relatively easy, all things told.

Relinquish some of the household chores, spend a little more time with family and friends other than their fathers and siblings, and engage in a new hobby. All of those things were accomplished quickly and without significant difficulty.

It was Irina's latest homework assignment that had Bella convinced her therapist wanted to torture her.

"Take Marley and Bodhi to the park," she'd said, wrapping up their last session for the week. She was away for the following week, so Bella and Rosalie had extra time to complete the task. They were now down to the last day before their first session back with Irina after her break, and they hadn't ventured anywhere close to the park.

Well, until now.

"You'll stay with us?" Rosalie asked Peter, nerves written clearly across her features.

Peter turned in his seat, smiling at his daughter. "Of course we will."

It was a bright, sunny day, although there was a chill in the air. It was autumn now, the leaves falling from their perches to cover the ground in a gold and red patchwork blanket. The children had gone back to school, so there weren't many people around. They'd come in two cars; Charlie's, and Archie's. The latter had volunteered to bring 'the cripple' as Edward had been affectionately dubbed, and Marley had dutifully followed her idol. She hadn't appeared nervous at all, clambering into the back seat of her uncle's car with Carl-Roman and Chase, but a minute or two down the road she'd had Edward call Bella to make sure they were following. They were two cars behind so Archie had pulled over to let them catch up, Marley waving her hands over her head the entire rest of the way so Charlie wouldn't miss her.

They were now parked next to the play area in Hampden Park, Archie managing to stall Marley while Rosalie and Bella bolstered their confidence.

"This is stupid," Bella eventually murmured, undoing her seatbelt and leaving the car quickly, before her fear could catch up with her.

"Atta girl," Charlie whispered, following.

The group convened on the pavement, Carl-Roman and Marley itching to get into the play area while Bella and Archie loaded their little ones into their strollers. Bodhi had fallen asleep during the car ride so Bella reclined him and pulled the canopy over so he could sleep without the sun beaming on him. It wasn't all that warm, but it was still bright.

"All right, play area?" Edward asked softly, eyeing the hyper, over-excited five and six-year-olds pressing their faces against the bars separating them from the fun.

"Yeah. Play area," Rosalie whispered, winding her arm through Bella's as she pushed Bodhi ahead. Marley and Carl-Roman walked quickly beside the girls, knowing better than to run off, Charlie and Peter both using their phones to document the momentous occasion.

Marley's and Bodhi's first trip to the park.

Settling herself on a bench close to the climbing frames, Bella breathed a long sigh of relief, offering Rosalie a shaky smile. "We did it, Rose. We're doing it."

"We are," she agreed, squeezing Bella's hand.

"Mummy, look! I'm doing it!" Their eyes flew to Marley, at the top of the big yellow slide.

It was the same slide they'd played on hundreds of times in their first eight years of life.

"You are, baby girl!" Bella called, tears spilling over her pale cheeks as she watched Edward catch Marley at the bottom, cheering and doing a silly dance with her to celebrate. It must have hurt him, but he didn't seem to care, and Bella didn't want to scold him. Not while he was having so much fun.

The wide, crooked grin on his face was almost painful to look at when she considered the fact that she'd almost lost it.

Without that smile, the world would seem much dimmer.

Marley and Carl-Roman quickly exhausted themselves, both loving the chance to charge around unimpeded for the first time. Charlie took over a hundred photos, managing to get a few of all four of his grandchildren when Marley and Carl-Roman paused to take a juice break.

He immediately set his favorite as his wallpaper, so that he could quickly look at the image of his eldest two grandchildren holding the youngest two on the bench.

Two hours after arriving at the park, Bella tucked Bodhi back into his stroller, persuaded Marley to put her woolen hat on, and Peter treated everyone – excluding Chase and Bodhi – to ice creams. Marley chose watermelon, to copy Edward, subsequently declaring it her new favorite. Bella snapped pictures of the pair sitting together, grinning over their ice creams, then laughed at the pink mustache Edward gave himself with an over-zealous bite.

"No, Edward! You're not s'posed to bite it, silly!"

"Oh, sorry, little sweet. How should I eat it?"

"That's okay, Edward. I'll teach you. Here, share my napkin. Your face is all messy."

Bella watched with a grin from behind her own cone. They truly were adorable together.

As an elderly couple strolled past, hand-in-hand with warm smiles on their faces, she wondered what they saw when they looked over at their group.

Did they see friends enjoying a treat on a chilly day?

Did they see a healing family, learning to be whole again?

Did they see a dad and his daughter playing thumb wars, watermelon ice creams melting over their hands?

Whatever they saw, Bella hoped the couple could tell how happy they all were, how content and relieved they were to be together again.

 **~ oOo ~**

"She's amazing, isn't she?"

Bella looked up at Edward, not ceasing in her gentle side-to-side rocking motions. Bodhi was almost asleep in her arms, having fought it for hours. "She is. Her speech is just…it's brilliant."

"She's a little you, that's for sure."

Returning her gaze to Marley, playing on the floor with Rosalie and chatting non-stop, as usual, Bella smiled. "Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was meant to be," Edward murmured, looping an arm around Bella's shoulders to give her an affectionate squeeze. "Want me to take the boy for a bit? Your arms must be aching by now."

Hesitating, Bella finally sighed and carefully transferred Bodhi into Edward's arms. He settled against Edward's chest almost instantly, peering up at him through wide, trusting eyes. "Thanks. He's getting heavy now."

"Her speech is coming on so well, isn't it?" Edward commented when they still hadn't moved a few minutes later, still both watching Marley and Rosalie. They'd spent less time together since returning to England, but their bond was still clear to see.

"It is. Irina says it's mostly thanks to her being happier, more comfortable with her surroundings and the people around her."

Edward tipped his head down to gaze at Bella's profile, taking in the line of her jaw, her slender neck, and the gentle slope of her shoulder. He clamped his mouth shut for a long moment, biting back the temptation to find out if the skin joining her neck and shoulder was as soft as it looked with his tongue. "Do you think she's right? Marley's your daughter, you know her better than anyone."

"I think she's right, yeah. I always wondered why she didn't talk, but it makes sense that she just wasn't comfortable there. I'm glad she's happier now. I only ever wanted her to be safe and content, you know?"

A question Edward had wondered about for months popped to the forefront of his mind. "Is that why you left her at the medical center?"

Bella's eyes darted up to his face, finding nothing but gentle curiosity there. She'd expected judgement, but he was simply asking a question only she had the answer to. "Yes. I couldn't risk _him_ coming after us and having Marley getting hurt. I had to hope the note would work and they'd call somebody here, but obviously it worked out a lot better that you were already in Montana anyway." She snorted, the sound far from amused. "I think that's the only time I've ever wanted to be wrong."

"Expecting to be found?" Edward asked, not wanting to say Smith's name; not even wanting to think it.

Thanks to Riley, Edward knew Garrett was in FBI custody, and would never be free again, but that conversation was the one and only they'd had regarding that vile excuse for a human being. Neither Bella nor Rosalie wanted to talk about him, and they'd seen less of Riley in the weeks since Bodhi's birth as he prepared the case against Smith, ready to take it to trial. The last they'd heard, the police weren't sharing as much information with Riley as he'd have liked and he was fighting to be allowed more access to the case.

For all Edward cared, Smith could rot in hell for what he'd done.

"I knew he wouldn't let us go easily, so I had to make sure Marley was safe."

"Mummy, I'm sleepy."

Lost in thought, Bella hadn't realized Marley had moved until she was tugging the hem of her T-shirt. Bella smiled and scooped her up, ignoring the twinge in her still-healing stomach. "Shall we head up to bed, baby girl? I think your brother is ready for sleep, too."

Marley stretched to peer at Bodhi. He was fast asleep in the crook of Edward's arm, suckling contentedly on his binky.

"Yeah, I'll tuck baby Bodhi in though, 'kay?"

"Okay," Bella agreed, always happy to indulge her daughter when it came to her love for Bodhi. "Say 'goodnight' to Auntie Rosalie."

"Night, Auntie Rosalie," she repeated softly, nuzzling into Bella.

"Night, sweetie. See you in the morning," Rosalie laughed, unfolding herself from the floor to tidy up the toy animals they'd been playing with.

After grabbing Bodhi's blanket from the sofa in the living room, Edward followed Bella up the stairs, arriving in the doorway to her room as she tucked Marley in and kissed her forehead. "She's too tired to tuck the boy in after all," Edward whispered, chuckling quietly.

"Looks that way," Bella shook her head with a smile, watching Edward move to Bodhi's crib. He laid her baby boy down so gently that he didn't even stir, tucking the blanket beneath his arms and into the foot of the bed without her having to remind him. Mr. Ted, his fluffy brown teddy bear, sat proudly in the bottom corner, watching over his sleeping buddy.

Seeing him, so easygoing and helpful with her children, Bella felt her entire body warm from the inside-out. He really was a beautiful man, only made better by his sunny personality and the adoration he showed her babies. Heat curled in her belly as she remembered him waking up, as she remembered seeing the look on his face when he spotted Bodhi for the first time.

 _Bella had passed out in the chair, Bodhi fast asleep in his Moses basket on the sofa on the other side of Edward's bed. She'd been dreaming, though of what, she couldn't recall. She woke slowly, unsure why, at first. It took a few seconds, then she realized._

 _She could feel eyes on her._

 _The prickle of someone's gaze resting upon her face made Bella freeze as her eyes peeled open, immediately finding the stare she could feel._

 _A pair of vibrant, confused green eyes were open for the first time in weeks. Bella felt tears stab at the backs of her eyes as she launched herself forward, hands clutching at Edward's._

" _Edward! You're awake! Oh my God…you're_ awake _." She whispered the words over and over, inordinately relieved, never having realized how much she wanted to see those emerald orbs until Edward was blinking slowly, clearly trying to focus and orient himself. He looked bewildered, to say the least._

 _Licking his lips, Edward rasped, "where am I?"_

 _Bella sighed, reaching up to cup his cheek. He had quite a beard going on, though the nurses had offered to shave him. Bella had refused on his behalf, unwilling to accept that he wouldn't wake soon to decide the fate of his beard for himself._

" _You're in the hospital. You…" She swallowed hard. "You were shot."_

 _She watched with sadness as he frowned. His memories seemed to sweep in at once, realization dawning in his eyes. He squeezed her hand. "Are you okay? I don't, um…what happened?"_

 _It had been difficult relaying the events to the police, but it was a whole other kettle of fish explaining it all to Edward. She readied herself with a deep breath and stroked his temple gently with her fingertips._

" _You came in and tackled him, I think. I opened my eyes, and you were on the floor after the…the gun went off. I couldn't tell at first, who it hit. Riley and the police were already on their way up because they'd realized you'd come in ahead of them. They got to you pretty quick after they heard the gunshot, but you lost a lot of blood. We almost lost_ you _."_

 _Edward absorbed her words with an odd look on his face, almost like he didn't believe her. He shifted a little, wincing at the pain in his side. Carefully, Bella lifted the blankets to show him the dressing, proving that she was telling the truth. Slowly, recognition sharpened his gaze._

" _And you…are_ you _okay? I remember…I remember them putting you in an ambulance, I think?"_

 _Without her permission, a smile spread across Bella's face. She squeezed his hand gently and nodded in Bodhi's direction. He frowned, tipping his head away from her slightly, though his eyes lingered on her face for as long as possible before swinging towards the sofa._

 _Bella saw the exact second he realized what, or_ who _, he was seeing._

" _Oh, God…" Edward breathed, sucking in a deep breath. He fidgeted a little, but Bella laid a hand on his chest and told him to wait a second. Once she'd used the buttons on the remote control to sit him up slightly, she moved around the bed and carefully removed Bodhi from his basket. He fussed for a few seconds, settling down in her arms as she perched on the edge of Edward's bed. He opened his sea-blue eyes wide, blinking long lashes at his mother._

 _She smiled down at him and smoothed a wayward curl. "Baby boy, this is Edward. He saved our lives."_

 _Edward was crying when she looked back up at him, but he shook his head when her expression betrayed her worry. "I'm okay, I'm okay. I just…I didn't know if I'd get to…"_

 _He trailed off, but of course, they both heard his unsaid words anyway._

" _Can I hold him?"_

 _Bella nodded, suddenly desperate to see Bodhi in Edward's arms. She carefully placed him between Edward's arm and his torso, knowing it would be all-but-impossible to keep her squirming son from tangling himself in the wires draped over Edward in any other position._

 _It was enough. Edward reached over and stroked Bodhi's soft cheek, tears pouring over his own. He wasn't holding him, but it was close enough. "What name did you decide on? You never told me."_

 _Feeling an abrupt bolt of nerves, Bella fiddled with her baby's socked foot. "Bodhi. I stole your name, I'm afraid."_

 _Edward grinned, his crooked, lopsided grin that he reserved only for Marley and Bella. "Bodhi. I like it. It suits him. I bet Chuck's chuffed."_

" _He is. He was a little sore that he got bumped down to the third name, but he's over it now."_

 _Edward frowned. "Third?"_

 _Bella swallowed hard. "Yeah, third. Bodhi…Edward Charlie Swan."_

 _They'd both cried torrents of tears, a nurse rushing into the room when she saw the spike in his heart rate. The room had been overtaken with doctors and nurses wanting to see Edward and examine him then, and Bella had eventually had to take Bodhi home, so they hadn't spent much time alone since. His family wanted to see him, too, and Bella was busy with Marley, Bodhi, and preparing the house for Edward's discharge._

"Bella?" Edward's whisper broke her from her memories.

"Hmmm?"

He grinned, gesturing towards the hall. "I was just saying 'goodnight.' I'm gonna head to bed now."

"Oh, all right." Sighing, Bella shoved away her disappointment that another day with Edward had come to an end, feeling exhaustion creeping in. And Bodhi would be waking shortly for a feed… "Goodnight, Edward. Thanks for all your help today."

"No problem at all. I love spending time with you and the kids."

She smiled, watching him leave quietly. He paused in the doorway, gripping the frame for a second before looking back at her. "I'm proud of you, Bella, you know that? You're an amazing mother, and you're absolutely the best person I've ever met. I guess I'm just…I'm glad I get to call myself your friend."

Before Bella had a chance to respond, shock tying her tongue in knots, Edward was gone.

She wanted to say so many things.

So did he.

As he crawled gingerly into bed, popping two of the painkillers he avoided during the day so that he could be alert and helpful with the children, Edward sighed, reminding himself of his mantra.

 _Slow and steady._

In the coming days, weeks, and months he already knew he'd fall deeper and deeper in love with Bella, the enigmatic young woman he witnessed growing into a beautiful mother, daughter, and sister before his eyes.

As autumn turned to winter, to spring, to summer, Edward's physical injuries would heal, his mental ones aided by fortnightly sessions with Irina.

 **~ oOo ~**

Before the sun had a chance to rise, the entire Swan-Hale clan – with the addition of a few Cullens; Edward, Carlisle, and Esme – gathered in Charlie's kitchen. Riley had called Charlie and Peter, asking them to round up their families.

He had news.

Much to everybody's worry and frustration, Riley hadn't said whether this news was good or bad, just that they needed to know as soon as possible.

Archie had driven right over with Carl-Roman and Chase, Kristen working as usual after a blazing row, and tucked them in upstairs where they'd both promptly fallen back to sleep. Marley slept soundly, even as Bella scooped Bodhi from his crib and carried him downstairs with her. She sat at the breakfast bar with Edward and her son, watching everybody else flit around the room nervously. Charlie and Peter were the worst, their agitation obvious, but Bella could see that Rosalie's nerves were also kicking in. She was attuned to her pseudo-sister, always had been, and didn't need to ask to know that Rosalie was struggling.

Still, she remained on the stool at the bar, cradling Bodhi against her chest and accepting the comfort Edward offered, his hand resting gently on her knee. As the sound of a car pulling up outside filtered through to the gathering in the kitchen, more than one set of eyes shot to the doorway leading to the hall.

"I'll go," Peter said quietly, leaving the room. When he returned moments later, it was with a stony-faced Riley right behind him.

Bella's heart began to race, her knee jiggling in place. Edward gave it a soft squeeze, reminding her of his presence. She sucked in a deep breath and forced herself to relax.

"I'm sorry to have woken you all so early. I received some news this morning that I thought you'd all want to hear."

Nobody seemed to know what to say, but they all looked to Charlie when he huffed and tugged at his hair, casting a quick glance in his daughter's direction. "Well, come on, out with it."

Riley looked around the room at the faces of the expectant family watching him intently. He huffed, meeting Rosalie's eyes, then Bella's. They both gasped at the simple, two-word sentence he uttered. "Smith's dead."

"D-dead?" Rosalie stammered, leaning heavily on Peter.

"Yes. We transferred him to a high-security unit as soon as he'd been checked into the station, and kept him under guard, but somebody got to him." Riley's fierce gaze betrayed his anger. "It happened three weeks ago, the same day we arrested him. I don't know why nobody has shared this information with us until now, but I came as soon as I was told."

Without speaking, Bella handed Bodhi to Esme with shaky hands, letting Edward stand and loop his arms around her. She couldn't think, couldn't _breathe_.

 _Smith's dead. Smith's dead. Dead. He's dead. He's been dead for three weeks?_

It didn't seem real. It couldn't be…could it?

"How?"

It took a few seconds for Bella to realize that it was her who'd asked, and she quickly realized that she really did want to know.

Riley grimaced, looking to Charlie. Charlie nodded, giving his permission, but he winced when Riley murmured, "evisceration, amongst his other injuries."

It had a kind of poetic justice, Edward thought, that the man responsible for tearing apart the two families Edward loved the most would lose his life in the same way.

Torn apart from the inside out.

A small, sick part of Edward hoped it had been painful. He hoped Smith had suffered.

"I don't…um, I can't process…"

"It's okay, honey. You don't have to do anything right now," Peter told Rosalie gently, holding her close.

It was safe to say not a single person in the room was mourning the loss of the vile excuse for a human being Smith had been.

Bodhi began to fuss in Esme's arms, so she quietly stepped out of the room after taking the bottle from the prep machine in the corner. Bella's eyes followed her son's head until he was out of sight, then she peered up at Edward from beneath tear-laden lashes. Gazing down at her, he cradled Bella's face in one large hand, stroking the apple of her cheek with his thumb.

"We're…we're safe?" She whispered, her voice croaky.

Smiling, his lips kicking up slightly on one end, Edward huffed a breath. It was relief, wry amusement, and exhaustion all rolled into one. "Yeah, Bella. You're safe."

"Not just us," she protested, nodding in Rosalie's direction. " _You_ , too. He'd have come back for you, you know."

"Well he can't now," Charlie interjected, crossing the room to wrap an arm around his daughter. Edward's presence meant he was included in the one-armed hug, but Charlie didn't care. All of his attention, at that moment, was focused on Bella and her wide, worried, blue-green eyes. "He can never hurt you again, sweetheart. _Never_. He's gone."

Silence followed Charlie's fierce statement. Nobody really knew what to say.

Until Riley cleared his throat, and the group recognized the beginnings of a smile dancing on his lips. "So, that's not my only news. Before you all lynch me, I have a feeling what I'm about to say next will go down a lot better."

Bella shot her dad, then Edward, bemused looks, seeing that they held no answers before following Riley's gaze to the hallway. She barely had the chance to recognize the man who appeared in the doorway before he was obscured.

Rosalie crossed the room in a blur, her gasp loud in the otherwise silent room. With her arms looped tight around the visitor's chest, she sobbed and repeatedly murmured, "thank God. Thank God, you're okay. You're okay."

Carlisle, Charlie, Edward, Archie, and Peter watched with confusion. Though Rosalie _had_ warmed up and grown more confident in past weeks, she still hadn't returned completely to the affectionate child she'd once been. They thought they'd lost her; the sweet child who'd loved to hug anybody, who'd inherited her mother's loving, demonstrative nature.

And yet, here she was, almost completely entwined around a large man with sandy brown hair and heavy footsteps.

Bella felt her heart race as she watched Rosalie begin to tremble when a pair of strong, muscular arms wound around her back tentatively, a set of familiar, tear-filled, gray-blue eyes peering over the top of her head. Overcome by emotions she hadn't expected and wasn't fully prepared to deal with at that moment in time, Bella swallowed hard and sighed.

Suddenly, inexplicably, with the older children asleep upstairs, Bodhi safe in Esme's arms in the room next-door, Edward's arms wrapped loosely around her, and the arrival of a man she trusted implicitly – just as she knew Rosalie did – Bella felt safer than, perhaps, she ever had.

"Hey, Emmett."


	30. Chapter Twenty-Eightand a Half

**~ oOo ~**

 **So...you were all happy to see Emmett then? *snickers*  
The last chapter received more reviews in a day than  
most of the other chapters have received to date!  
I'm glad you're all happy to welcome him back.**

 **I won't lie, I'm almost just as much in love with Emmett  
as I am with Edward. And I particularly love this Emmett,  
all sweet, soft, with a dash of Southern drawl to drive  
dear Rose crazy ;)**

 **Thank you, as always, to my wonderful dream team  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **!  
They've both been super busy with vacations and their  
real lives but they've still come through and worked  
their magic for me - even though I have been incredibly  
annoying and messed with the chapter numbers with  
my random, odd updates.**

 **I'm eternally grateful, ladies!**

 **Also, thank you to each and every one of you for  
loving these characters so much. They love you right  
back!**

 **Anyways, as promised, here's your half-chapter**  
 **to tide you over as I updated the last chapter  
early. It's just a little peek into what Emmett  
has been up to since we left him  
on his way to get Smith after he kidnapped Bella.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight…and a Half**

 **August 11** **th** **2016 –** _ **A few hours after Bella's abduction**_ **…**

The drive from the cabin to Eastbourne took a little under five hours, thanks to Laurent's lead foot on the accelerator. During this time, James filled Emmett in on the plan.

They'd narrowed down the route for Smith's transfer to the station where he'd be held until he could go before a judge first thing in the morning. They'd also picked the spot where they'd intercept to forcefully takeover said transfer. En-route, they met up with five other men – when Emmett asked they simply called themselves 'mercenaries.'

By the time the group reached the interception point, Emmett was wound up and ready to crack some skulls.

Well, one skull in particular – Smith's.

At first, when they pulled over and reversed into the trees he wasn't sure what they were doing; then he saw the headlights. Seeing the convoy draw closer, Emmett felt the atmosphere in the Jeep change. The other men became noticeably quieter and more tense. James cracked his knuckles and double-checked his Glock, the guys up front doing the same. Emmett copied, sucking in a deep breath as he watched the headlights near, then pass them by. Laurent started the engine, but left the lights off, and followed.

" _All right, we've got Smith in the middle. Two other cars, four men in each,_ " came a voice from the earpiece Emmett had been given.

"Okay. We expected more, so that's good. Our boys must have had something to do with that," Biers muttered. "All right. Stick to the plan, boys, and this fucker will be dead by morning."

Emmett's heart raced as they neared the car in the back. They were all black SUVs, except the armored van in the middle. Apparently, that was standard for Riley's operations – whoever this 'Riley' was. James spoke of him often, but Emmett had never seen him for himself.

It was obvious when the convoy realized they had a tail.

The SUV in the rear slowed slightly, something James predicted would happen. "They'll try to let the others get ahead a bit now while they deal with us," he told Emmett with a grin as Laurent closed on the vehicle.

However, instead of doing as James said and speeding off ahead, the cars in front slowed.

Emmett glanced at James beside him, then at Agent Biers and Laurent in the front. They all looked equally as confused as he felt. "What's going on?"

"I don't…know."

As he spoke, the car directly in front of them flashed its indicators twice, then a head popped out of the passenger side window. The man wore a wide grin and held out a thumb before holding up his hands in the universal sign for 'surrender.'

"Well, fuck me…it's Oliver!"

Thoroughly perplexed, Emmett watched the three other guys in the Jeep disembark to join the man leaving the other car. They embraced with the familiarity of friends with back-slaps and handshakes all-round. When James waved him out, Emmett only made it a few steps with his hand on his gun before recognition hit.

"Paul?"

"Emmett. Good to see you again."

Before Emmett knew it, he'd been pulled into a man-hug, and then found himself staring into the eyes of a man he'd once only suspected to be FBI, but now knew to be.

"You too, man. So, is it 'Oliver' or 'Paul?'"

"Both, actually. Paul Oliver. I go by 'Oliver,' mostly."

Seeing Paul—no, _Oliver_ , in black cargo pants, a fitted black Henley, and black boots, Emmett suddenly wondered how he could ever have believed this man was anything other than a highly-trained FBI agent. He stood differently, though, and his voice…there was something distinctly different about that, too. It was surreal to see him this way; so obviously in control and knowledgeable

He briefly wondered how many times he'd made himself look an idiot by warning Oliver away from the guns used to scare bears off the ranch.

"Alright, reunion outta the way," James laughed, clapping Emmett on the shoulder and looking to Oliver. "So, what's going on here?"

Oliver grinned; his smile was wide and more than a little sinister. "We heard about your plan. We've already got something in store for this piece'a shit, but you're more than welcome to join us, if you want."

James cast a look at his colleagues, at Emmett, then shrugged at Oliver. "Let's have it, then."

Fifteen minutes later Emmett climbed back into the Jeep with the guys, a little disappointed at the lack of action. That said, as the tires screeched along the road, the convoy splitting up and Laurent making sure to skid close enough to the secure van holding Smith that it wobbled the vehicle, Emmett was secure in the knowledge that he'd still be getting what he wanted.

Smith would suffer, and suffer greatly, if these guys got their way. And he had no doubt that they would.

They were fighting machines. Mercenaries, soldiers for hire with a purpose – to make this piece of shit suffer and regret ever laying a hand on Bella and Rosalie. Emmett suspected that, in this case, their mission was being headed up by none other than Paul Oliver.

He'd seen the look in his hazel eyes, heard the fire in his words, and felt the hatred for Smith saturating every glance towards the truck currently protecting him.

Emmett had a feeling that if it weren't for the plan they already had in place, Oliver would have ripped Smith to shreds right there on the side of the road.

It wouldn't have surprised him in the least if nobody moved to stop him, either.

 **~ oOo ~**

It wasn't until days later that Emmett heard what had happened.

He wasn't ashamed to admit that he'd cried when James had told him that Bella had been hurt, as had her childhood friend when he attempted to save her. He also wasn't ashamed to admit that he'd broken a table in his rage when he'd heard that Bella had gone into labor and almost lost her life because of the ordeal.

A picture Riley sent James when he asked for an update cheered Emmett considerably, though.

It was a simple image, with four people in the small screen of James' phone.

Rosalie, Bella, Marley…and Bodhi.

He hadn't even known she was pregnant again. Thinking back, he could only think of one person who could be the father – Paul Lucien. He'd shown up randomly after a supply run one day, and Smith had let him stay in an out of character act of mercy. He'd hung around for a little while, never really gotten close to anybody, but never caused any trouble.

Then he'd disappeared.

Emmett was certain he'd have noticed Bella acting strangely around any of the other guys if it had been them. A little digging later and he'd been informed that he was right. Bella had admitted the father was Paul Lucien and it hadn't been against her will. He found it hard to believe, but he accepted it. Bella had admitted everything else; why would she lie about this? She had no reason to.

With the knowledge that Bella was safe with her babies, and that Rosalie was too, Emmett could relax.

Especially when, later the same day, Emmett and James got the call about Smith's demise. He'd only lasted a few hours in the high security holding cell.

He'd been killed painfully, slowly, and had suffered immensely before he was allowed to die.

James and Emmett celebrated with cold beers and pizzas.

 **~ oOo ~**

The sleek black car rolled to a stop outside the house, James reaching out to clap Emmett on the shoulder. "Alright man, go get your girl."

Emmett shook his head with a nervous grin and disembarked, immediately spotting the man exiting the car parked in front. "You must be the infamous Riley."

Riley crossed the pavement and grinned, shaking Emmett's hand with a firm grip. "That's right. Riley Lawrence. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I understand we owe our girls' lives to your quick thinking."

Emmett found himself uncharacteristically embarrassed at Riley's words, recognizing his distinct accent from the phone calls they'd shared in previous days. "Well, I…er," he cleared his throat. "I wouldn't say that. Those girls are fighters. They're where they are today because of themselves."

He watched Riley appraise him, then nod firmly, as though pleased with what he saw.

"I completely agree. You ready?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Emmett stood straight and turned to peer at the simple row of terraced houses they stood beside. Somehow, they seemed to fit the girls. They were homey and the lawns were littered with childrens toys. Family cars were in the driveways and he could see half a _Birthday Boy_ banner hanging down in the window of one of them. Emmett had hoped the girls would get to see this again, would get to live normal lives. Though he'd never lived a normal life himself, or had the typical family home, he recognized this to be exactly the kind of life they deserved.

The kind of life they'd been missing all these years.

But _God_ , he'd missed them. He had an ache in his gut and electricity sparking all over his body at the thought of seeing them again.

And now…they were just yards away.

He'd missed Bella's softness, and seeing her with Marley. He'd missed Marley's sweet smiles and girlish giggles.

And Rosalie…

He wasn't ashamed to admit, despite his confusion over his own emotions, that he'd missed her more than he'd ever missed anybody before.

"Yeah. I'm ready."

Riley nodded, chuckling as he walked up the garden path like he owned the place. Emmett supposed he'd been there frequently in past weeks, so he was fairly familiar with the house. As they got closer to the front door, Riley paused.

"I'll go in ahead and explain everything. I'll hit the 'call' button on my cell when I'm ready for you to come in, all right? When you feel your phone vibrate, you're clear to enter. Understood?"

"Understood."

Emmett wiped his clammy palms on his cargo pants as he stood in the hallway of the house – Bella's family home, judging by the slight majority of photos containing her and a dark-haired boy he assumed to be her brother – and listened to Riley breaking the news of Smith's death to the family. He didn't know who was there, but he almost cursed out loud when a small woman cradling a baby left the kitchen and made him jump before moving into the living room. She offered him a smile on her way past, obviously mistaking him for one of Riley's agents. There were still a fair few posted in various locations around the properties, most of them only visible to knowing eyes.

Then, he felt it. His cell.

It vibrated in his pocket against his thigh, Emmett's fist clenching around it. "C'mon, McCarty. Get a grip. It's the girls."

 _And their dads, their brother…God knows who else._

Thinking of Bella's face, of Marley's, and Rosalie's, Emmett released a long sigh and took the steps separating him from his favorite girls. As he made it to the doorway of the kitchen he immediately spotted Rosalie, as though his eyes knew exactly where to look. The sweet relief that flowed through his veins was instantaneous and he moved to catch her body as she flew across the room, tears already splashing over her cheeks when she collided with his body.

For the first time, maybe ever, Emmett felt every ounce of tension drain from his body as he held Rosalie to him and met Bella's gaze over her head, unable to feel nervous of her family's reaction when he'd been so desperate to see her safe and well with his own eyes.

It didn't occur to him until much later that this was the first time Rosalie had ever hugged him, the first time he'd ever held her or felt the tendrils of her hair against his chin; yet he felt more familiarity in that hug, more at home in her presence, than ever before.

As Bella's eyes softened, her stance relaxing infinitesimally, Emmett thought she might just feel it, too.

"Hey, Emmett."


	31. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**So...Emmett was a hit then?  
Sooo many reviews for that last half-chapter,  
all of them loving on Emmett. But then, he _is_  
incredibly lovable, so I'm not judging.  
**

 **As always, I owe a gigantic thank you -  
and probably sizable gift baskets of goodies -  
to the wonderful ladies,  
**SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
who tidy this up and deal with my rambling.  
I'm eternally grateful!**

 **Sorry this chapter is posting late in the day;  
I've just gotten back from a weekend of camping.  
It was my first time, as well as my Dalmatian's.  
Needless to say, a football tournament with hundreds  
of people in attendance was probably a touch  
ambitious. That said, Dakota was very well-behaved  
for a bonkers ten-month-old Dalmatian, so I'll  
take it.**

 **Anyways...you don't care about all that.  
Get on with the chapter. It's another long one :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine**

For the longest time, no one moved.

No one spoke, and it almost felt as though no one even breathed.

Rosalie's sobs abated as she pulled back to peer up at his face. "I can't believe…it's _you_! You're here. You're really here."

He grinned, huffing. His nerves peered out from behind the tears in his gray eyes. "And here I was, worried you'd have forgotten all about me."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Bella heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs a second before the ensuing squeal of excitement roused everybody from their collective stupors.

"Emmett!"

The force with which Marley slammed into the backs of his legs made Emmett wobble slightly. He held onto Rosalie's waist as he righted himself, twisting to look down at the happy little girl.

"Well, hello there, little missy."

"Did you come to see me?"

Emmett was visibly startled. Rosalie smiled, stroking Marley's head of chocolate curls. "Mars, Emmett hasn't heard you speak, yet."

Marley peered between Rosalie and Emmett, flashing the latter a wide, toothy grin. "I talk all the time!"

Bending at the knees, Rosalie tapped Marley gently on the tip of her nose. "But you didn't used to speak _at all_ before, Mars. I think Emmett is a bit surprised."

"I'd say, more than a bit!" Emmett cried, ruffling Marley's hair and opening his arms to her.

Rosalie stepped back to let Emmett scoop up Marley, swiping at the tears still leaking from her eyes. The sight of him holding Marley… It made her feel things. Things she could only have imagined before that moment. Seeing him, standing there in the doorway of her uncle's house, having wondered about his fate so often, Rosalie hadn't been able to stop herself from checking for herself that he was really there.

As she'd crossed the room, her legs on autopilot, she hadn't paused to think about what her actions might look like to her family.

Even as Marley introduced him to everyone, Rosalie couldn't take her eyes off Emmett.

Truthfully, she hadn't thought she'd get to see him again. Riley had explained his need for protection and wouldn't even tell her where he'd been placed in protective custody. Her thoughts reminded Rosalie of the reason for him being there now.

 _Smith was dead. Somebody had killed him. Apparently someone with the determination, and ability, to get past heavy security, apparently._

"Are you okay?"

Rosalie felt Esme wrap her arm around her waist as she leaned into her. She'd proven to be a great source of comfort in recent weeks, so Rosalie let herself be soothed as she followed Emmett around the room with her eyes.

"I…I'm okay."

Esme smiled, adjusting Bodhi against her chest before giving Rosalie a gentle squeeze. "You're happy he's here."

It wasn't a question, but Rosalie felt herself nod anyway. Her lips tipped upwards into a shaky smile. "I am. I didn't realize how much I missed him until just now."

"He doesn't frighten you?"

Frowning, Rosalie looked at Esme; she found her wearing a wide, knowing smile. Her kind, hazel eyes were soft and held secrets Rosalie couldn't even guess at. "No. Emmett is…he's not…"

"He's different?" Esme supplied softly when Rosalie couldn't find words.

 _Different_ … "Yeah. Emmett's always been different."

The older woman hummed, pressing a kiss to Rosalie's temple before handing Bodhi to Bella and joining Carlisle to introduce herself to Emmett. Rosalie watched as Emmett smiled and kissed Esme's hand, then peered across the room at her. Frozen, Rosalie remained in that spot until he excused himself from Carlisle and Esme's company and made his way over.

Suddenly feeling shy, Rosalie ducked her head and sucked in a deep breath.

"Hey, Missy," he murmured, gently nudging her face up with his thumb on her chin. When she forced herself to meet his gaze, his eyes were gentle and warm despite their gray-blue hue. "Are you okay?"

"A little overwhelmed, I think."

Emmett chuckled, the sound rueful. "Me too. I missed you, you know?"

Rosalie's cheeks flushed. "I missed you, too."

As they stared into each other's eyes, the air around Emmett and Rosalie seemed to swirl and change in texture and color. They were oblivious to all but one another. Rosalie's heart raced as Emmett released a long huff of breath that fanned across her face. It smelled minty and vaguely smoky, as though he'd shared space with somebody who'd been smoking, but not actually done so himself. Rosalie leaned toward him unconsciously, her emotions pooling and leaking from her body in the form of salty tears.

Emmett reached up with the hand resting on her chin to swipe a lone drop of moisture from her cheek. He smiled; just a small upward curl, but one all the same. "Hey, it's okay."

Rosalie nodded, embarrassed to be crying but unable to deny the comfort his touch brought her. She sighed, battling briefly with what she wanted to do and what she thought she should before realizing something profound. Something that she should probably have realized a long time ago.

She didn't actually care.

Irina had been telling her for weeks that her recovery was exactly that – her own. She didn't need to think about what she 'should' be doing, or what was expected of her. She was recovering and getting to know herself again, and feeling overwhelmed was okay. It would have been crazy if she _weren't_ overwhelmed at times.

At this moment, with her family around her and the knowledge of her tormentor's demise fresh in her mind, Rosalie didn't care what everyone might think of her actions.

Emmett grunted when she closed the distance between them, jumping a little to twine her arms around his shoulders. He instinctively looped his arms around her lower back for support, and after his shock evaporated, he held her closer still. She felt warm and light against him, her cries muffled into his shoulder. He ducked his head to rest his forehead against the soft skin joining her neck to her shoulder, feeling a few tears of his own escaping.

Until he'd seen her and felt her throwing herself at him a few minutes ago, Emmett hadn't realized just how much he'd missed Rosalie. He hadn't known how much he needed her; how much he needed to see her safe, and happy.

"It's okay now," she whispered a few moments later.

Emmett cleared his throat and blinked away the sting of tears. "What do you mean?"

"It's okay now." Rosalie pulled back a little, so Emmett did, too. Their faces were inches apart, her feet dangling above the floor as he held her easily. He saw the sparkle of fresh tears in her eyes as well as the remnants of the last round clinging to her long lashes. She smiled; an expression that warmed Emmett from the inside.

Squeezing Emmett tighter and pressing her face against his shoulder with a heaving sigh, Rosalie let herself relax; fully content and sure in the knowledge that he wouldn't let her fall.

"Everything's okay now; you're here, so everything's okay."

 **~ oOo ~**

 _ **December 25**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2016**_

Soft butterfly kisses woke Bella slowly.

She smiled, content to remain 'asleep' for a few moments longer. Quiet cooing from Bodhi's crib told her that a certain, eager five-year-old had probably been rattling around for some time before climbing onto her bed; Bodhi was a light sleeper, and one little sound seemed to wake him. Thankfully, he was usually content to remain in his crib for a little while and watch the mobile turn over his head.

The sound of Marley's huff of frustration that her ministrations didn't seem to be working made Bella shake as she attempted to stop herself from laughing aloud.

"Mummy, you 'wake? Wake up! Wake up, Mummy!"

When Bella didn't immediately open her eyes, Marley's tiny fingertips crept over her cheeks. She opened her eyes quickly, just before Marley could try to pry them open.

Bella couldn't help but grin. Marley's hair was a riotous mess all around her face, and she had the faint remains of a pillow line on her left cheek. Her eyes, _Bella's_ eyes, sparkled with excitement.

"Mummy, guess what! It's _Chris'mas_!"

"Is it? I didn't know."

Marley rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did, silly. Can we go downstairs now? Pawpaw's down there with Edward and Uncle Emmy. I heard them."

Battling back tears, Bella nodded and told Marley to put on her dressing gown while she fetched Bodhi. Once Marley had scampered over to the wardrobe, Bella sighed and wiped away the few tears that had managed to leak free.

This was Marley's first Christmas. She'd gotten caught up in the excitement but she still didn't know what to expect or what would happen when Bella took her downstairs. Marley had no concept of presents under the tree, or traditions like pulling crackers, the Queen's speech on TV that nobody actually paid attention to in this house, or eating a huge roast dinner with paper crowns and turkey.

Bella couldn't wait to show it all to her, but it was bittersweet. She was five-years-old and only now experiencing what she should have had for the first time at nine-months-old. A March baby, she'd have celebrated her first Christmas while learning to crawl.

In reality, Marley had spent much of her first Christmas in bed with Bella and Rosalie. Smith had been in a rage upon his return from a 'business trip' on Christmas Eve, the subsequent bruises decorating Bella's body for several days after the holidays had passed.

" _Knock, knock._ "

"Edward!" Marley gasped, flying to the door with only one arm in her gown, the rest of the garment training behind her as she threw open the door.

Edward was chuckling, one hand over his eyes. "Bella, I thought she might do that, so I'm not looking in case you aren't decent."

Laughing, Bella climbed out of bed and told him she was dressed. He met her gaze with a warmth to his grassy green eyes that took her breath away.

She felt the sweep of his perusal over her fitted gray tank top and matching pajama bottoms; electricity skittering over the surface of her body as she crossed the room to Bodhi, listening to Marley climbing Edward to wish him a merry Christmas.

"Whats'it I gotta say, Mummy? Merry Chris'mas?"

"Yeah, baby girl."

Marley turned to Edward from where she rested on his hip, cupping his freshly-shaven face in her small hands with a beaming, toothy grin. "Merry Chris'mas, Edward."

To Bella's surprise, twin tears tumbled over Edward's cheeks as he chuckled and leaned forward to give Marley an Eskimo kiss.

"Merry Christmas, little sweet."

 **~ oOo ~**

"Marley Rosalie Swan, get your little butt back here!"

"But _Mummy_ —"

"Uh-uh, no Ma'am. Come here, please."

Marley scowled, hanging her head and dragging Mr. Eddie behind her by his long, worn ears.

Despite her daughter's petulance, Bella couldn't help but fight a smile. In the months since their arrival in England, Marley had blossomed from a mute shell of a girl, turning into a bright, vibrant, chatterbox of a child.

She'd also discovered her attitude, much to her mother's consternation.

"What did I tell you?"

Marley stopped in front of Bella, refusing to make eye contact. " _Idunno_."

Bella's lips twitched higher. "What was that?"

"I _dunno_ ," the little girl sighed, rolling her eyes. She'd picked up the gesture from Carl-Roman, and it drove Bella crazy. She'd been trying, in vain, to cure her nephew of the habit.

"Miss Marley, are you misbehaving again?"

Immediately, Marley's sullen expression evaporated and was replaced with a wide, beaming grin and a pair of sparkly blue-green eyes. She bounced away from Bella, right into her waiting uncle's arms.

"No, Uncle Em! I'm being good, right Mummy?"

Bella scoffed, but gestured for Emmett to bring Marley over so she could continue what she'd been trying to do before her willful daughter decided to take off – get her dressed. "Not so much, baby girl. Once you're dressed, you can go downstairs and play, okay?"

Marley scowled again, looking to Emmett for help. He shrugged with a chuckle, handing her over to Bella.

"You want to match Edward, right?"

"Yeah…" It was obvious he had her attention, then.

"Well he'll be wearing the same as that," Emmett told her, pointing to the red and white sweater Bella was holding. "He has one the exact same as yours. If I'm not mistaken, mine's up here too, right?"

Bella nodded, tossing a large jumper towards him. He quickly tugged it over his head, unable to contain his smile when Marley giggled at the sight of her giant uncle dressed like a candy cane.

"Uncle Em!" She snickered, hands flying up to cover her mouth. "You look _silly_!"

"Well, Miss Marley, I think it's only fair _you_ look silly with me. What d'you think?"

She seemed to think about it for a moment, before nodding. "All right. I'll be silly with you. Mummy, where's mine?"

It only took a minute or two to tug the jumper over Marley's head and lay her twin braids flat against her back, the little girl falling all over Bella's bed in a fresh round of giggles when Emmett insisted on taking selfies of them together on his phone before she could go downstairs. He'd introduced her to the wonders of _Snapchat_ filters, and she was often found attached to Emmett as they pulled faces wearing odd hats or sporting strange face masks on the picture-taking app.

With Marley finally dressed in her jumper, Bella scooped the remaining two from the bed and followed Emmett and her daughter down the stairs. Everybody was in the kitchen, just where they'd left them, and she grinned when she spotted the two boys in the corner.

Edward was across the room leaning against the kitchen counter, one leg crossed over the other, Bodhi resting in one arm. He quickly bored of being cradled these days, so Edward was holding him upright letting him look around, his neck control still a touch shaky. Every now and then, he wobbled his head to peer at his family, but as Bella watched, Bodhi rested his face against Edward's chest and suckled contentedly on his binky, little legs kicking. Edward hadn't noticed her yet, so she took advantage of his distraction and stared. Her eyes danced over his long legs encased in dark jeans and his muscular torso dressed in just a ribbed black tank, leaving his strong, tanned arms bare. She couldn't help but melt at the sight of his thick biceps carefully holding her baby boy.

So much power, and yet he was so gentle.

"Edward, _look_! We match!"

Her cover was blown when Marley skipped straight to Edward to do a twirl in her red and white knit jumper, pointing over her shoulder towards Bella.

"Mummy's got the same!"

Edward's eyes found Bella, warmth suffusing her cheeks with a soft, rosy hue at the intense look in his gaze. His lips curled up into a wide grin as he chuckled, adjusting Bodhi so that he could scoop Marley onto his other side, resting her against his hip.

Marley huffed and searched the room. "Where's Carl-Roman and baby Chase?"

Smiling, Edward set her down and pointed her towards the table, where Carl-Roman and Chase were sitting, accompanied by Alice and Jasper's boys – Clarke and Dave, ten and five-years-old respectively. After planting a quick, smacking kiss to Edward's cheek, Marley darted between the legs of the adults to join her cousins and friends.

"So, I'm guessing that's mine?" Edward asked sheepishly, indicating the jumper in Bella's arms.

"Sure is. Here, gimme my boy. You need to get dressed."

With Bodhi transferred to his mother's arms, Edward took his jumper and pulled it over his head, making Bella laugh when it left his hair standing in all directions; a wild bronze mess. When Bella looked up from her baby's face, her subsequent laughter attracted the attention of various members of her extended family.

His outfit matched hers perfectly. They both wore dark jeans, well-worn, white _Chuck Taylors_ , and black tanks under their candy cane jumpers.

They weren't the only ones. Every single person in the house wore the same jumper – all knitted by Esme and Mary. Even four-month-old Bodhi was sporting a similar outfit, only he wore a pair of soft, denim-effect trousers instead. They were made of the softest cotton, but made to look like a tiny pair of jeans.

"All right, picture time, everyone! Gather round!"

All eyes turned to Rosalie as she appeared in the doorway, brandishing the camera Peter had given her as an early Christmas gift. She'd been busily snapping photos of the entire clan – the Swans, Hales, Cullens, and Whitlocks – in the lead-up to the holiday period, and this coordination of outfits had been orchestrated for this photo opportunity. Rosalie had grand plans of fitting everybody in beside the large Christmas tree. They'd even done a few practice runs to see whether it would work.

Archie unbuckled Chase from his highchair and settled Carl-Roman on his hip with Kristen at the end of the line. Jasper, Alice, Clarke, and Dave were next, followed by Carlisle and Esme, and Mary and Roy with Pippa and Heidi. Peter stood next to his twin daughters, saving a spot for Rosalie once she'd set up the camera, and chuckled at Charlie as he shoulder-checked him on his way past to his pre-assigned space. He stood with an arm around Bella and leaned over to give his grandson a quick kiss while he still had the chance, with Edward accepting Marley into his arms when she scaled his legs.

"Can I be in the picture with you, Edward?" She asked softly, big blue-green eyes wide and hopeful.

"Well, how could I say 'no' to that pretty little face, little sweet?"

She beamed. "You can't, duh."

"Duh…the attitude on this one, Bella. We're gonna have to do something about it, you know?"

Bella tried, and failed, to hide the pleased smile on her face at Edward's use of 'we' in that sentence. More and more he took on a sort of parental role with Marley, though she was almost certain he didn't realize what he was doing. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well, it'll have to wait, we're busy right now. Right, Mars?" Rosalie called, clicking the camera into place on the tripod in the doorway. It needed to be as far away as possible, while still being able to see into the room without walls or furniture in the way. Checking the screen before taking her place in the line-up, Rosalie frowned. "Hold on…where's Emmett?"

He poked his head in from outside, all eyes swiveling to find him. His shoulders hunched inwards a little at the perusal – Rosalie's, in particular. "Yeah? You need me to press the button, or somethin'?"

Rosalie's frown deepened. "No. You need to get over here. I've got a remote to take the photo, but we need everyone in it."

Despite the chill in the air, and the gooseflesh covering his skin even beneath the layers of his thermal shirt and thick jumper, Emmett felt himself warm somewhat. "You want me in the photo?"

"Get over here, son. You're part of this family now," Peter told him, waving him over with an affectionate grin. He'd grown attached to Emmett in the months since his arrival and had almost adopted him as one of his own. More often than not, he, Charlie, Edward, Archie, and Emmett found themselves tinkering with new projects in the houses, or bonding over football on the TV. "We may be a bit of a mish-mashed bunch, but man, you're one of us now. Like it or lump it."

Looking at all the expectant faces in the large, 'mish-mashed bunch' Peter had referred to, Emmett felt a surge of love and affection for the group. They'd welcomed him as though he'd always been there and never once made him feel like an outsider or an unwelcome interloper. Esme and Carlisle had welcomed him into their home, the rest of the family inviting him to parties and Sunday dinners as though he'd always occupied a seat at their tables.

For the first time in his life, Emmett finally felt like maybe, just maybe, he fit.

"Come on, time's a ticking, and the turkey's almost ready for basting again," Charlie tutted teasingly, shuffling over to make room for the large man once he'd closed the door and managed to wiggle through the limited space left in the room.

Emmett squeezed in beside Rosalie and felt his lips spreading into the widest grin they'd ever formed when, just as the camera clicked and the flash lit the room, a soft, small, warm set of fingers twined with his. Rosalie tilted her head at the last second to offer him a tiny smile.

It was the best Christmas present Emmett had ever received.

 **~ oOo ~**

After dinner, when presents had been opened and bellies filled, crackers pulled, and obligatory Queen's speech watched, Edward settled himself in the window seat.

He'd stripped off his jumper at some point between pulling his cracker with Marley, and commiserating with the other men when meat sweats got the better of them mid-meal. The condensation on the window at his back cooled him enough that Edward didn't even care his tank was getting wet. With so many bodies in the house, the heat was almost unbearable. Windows had been opened, the patio doors in the kitchen as wide as they would go.

Still, Edward had never felt as comfortable as he did at that moment. His eyes swept over the room, the smile on his face crooked and bookended by twin dimples. Charlie and Peter were arguing over by the sound system – Charlie for the so-called Christmas classics, and Peter for something more modern. As Edward watched, Marley settled the argument for her pawpaw and uncle.

"Pawpaw, Uncle P, let's listen to _OneDirection_ now."

Always unable to argue with Marley, but especially today, on her first Christmas, they caved like accordions. Within minutes, she was dancing around the room with Carl-Roman and Dave, shouting random, not-entirely-correct lyrics to _That's What Makes You Beautiful_.

It was perfect.

Archie and Kristen were sitting on the loveseat that had been borrowed from Peter's to make sure there would be enough seating. It also meant the living room was decidedly cramped, with Charlie's two sofas, Peter's borrowed three-seater, and the armchair usually reserved for Pawpaw himself.

Pippa, Heidi, Alice, Mary, and Esme were clustered together in one corner, flicking through photo albums and reminiscing over Christmases past. Roy had ventured next-door with Carlisle to show him a new power tool he'd purchased.

Edward frowned, realizing that Emmett had disappeared. Bella and Rosalie, too.

He was wondering whether to go looking for them when the trio appeared, laughing as they entered the living room. They created a happy image.

Bella was carrying Bodhi, and Rosalie had Chase. Both babies were fading fast, the day of festivities too exciting for either of them to sleep as much as they should have. Cradled in the women's arms, Edward suspected it wouldn't be long before they both succumbed to their tiredness. Following them was Emmett, and Edward couldn't deny the rush of jealousy that bolted through his veins at the sight of his arm around Bella's shoulders, and the smile on her face as she turned to look at him.

Until she looked back…and spotted him.

The world came to a standstill as Bella's eyes met Edward's. She looked beautiful; completely and utterly. Peace encapsulated her, joy emanating from her expression, her beautiful azure eyes aglow with love and light and all things right in the world. Still in her hand-knitted jumper and skinny jeans, with a pair of lilac slipper boots on her feet and her hair released from its braid to hang loose in effortless curls over her shoulder, to Edward, Bella was exquisite.

She'd filled out and finally looked less like the skeleton she'd been back at the safe house in Montana. Her cheeks were infused with a soft, rosy hue, and her cheekbones were far less visible.

Edward wanted to kiss her cheeks, to feel the warmth of the blood turning them pink against his lips, and to show her how much he cherished the changes pregnancy and happiness had wrought on her body. Remembering how skinny she'd been, how frail and timid, it was difficult to reconcile that girl with the woman now in front of him.

Cradling Bodhi, with the beatific smile on her face that she reserved exclusively for Edward, she'd never looked so radiant.

And Edward had never wanted to declare his love for her more.

"Edwaaaaard!"

All sweet thoughts flew from Edward's mind the second Marley launched herself into his lap. Her knees hit him right where no man ever wants to be hit, and he clenched every muscle in his body in response to the agony. Bowing over her he was oblivious to Bella handing Bodhi to Emmett and darting across the room until she was cupping his face and carefully removing Marley from his lap.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Edward," Bella murmured softly.

Edward was stunned to see mirth swimming in her eyes when he looked up at her face with a whimper. "Are you…are you _laughing_?"

She bit her lip and shook her head, but it was obvious she was desperately struggling.

"I can't even…" Groaning, Edward sucked in a deep breath through his teeth and blinked back the moisture in his eyes. "You're mean!"

Bella's eyes twinkled with amusement, her body shaking slightly. "I'm sorry, it was just…the _look_ on your face was hilarious!"

"Hilar—I can't believe you, Bean!"

"I'm sorry, Edward," Marley murmured softly, looking thoroughly abashed as she crawled onto the window seat beside him. He turned his attention to the upset five-year-old, sighing with relief when the pain finally began to abate a bit. "Did I hit you in your misters? Uncle Archie says that hurts a whole lot."

Chuckling, Edward tugged Marley back onto his lap, careful to shove a cushion there first, and snuggled her close to his chest. "It did hurt, but it's okay, little sweet. It was an accident, right?"

"Yes!" She nodded quickly, peering up at him with the stunning blue-green eyes Edward adored. She looked so apologetic, so sad; he couldn't stand it.

"Then it's okay. You didn't do it on purpose, and you said, 'sorry.'"

Marley's face instantly transformed into a big, beaming grin, and Edward's heart warmed. "'Kay."

"Bella, wait! Wait a sec, please…" Rosalie appeared then, brandishing her camera. Emmett trailed a few steps behind carrying Bodhi and Chase, seemingly quite happy with both boys. "Actually…Em, please can you give Bodhi to Bella? And Bella, please can you sit?"

Doing as she was told, Bella took a seat beside Edward and accepted her son when Emmett handed him over.

"All right, perfect. Big smiles, guys!"

Rosalie aimed her camera at the quartet, grinning behind the lens when Edward automatically moved to wrap one arm around Marley, the other looping around Bella's waist while she shifted a little into his side, Bodhi propped on her knee with his back to her chest.

Emmett peered over Rosalie's shoulder at the screen as she snapped off a few photos of the smiling group, his own grin widening when she held it up for him to get a better look. "Oh, yeah. I see what you were talking about, now."

Rosalie smiled to herself with glee, zooming in on the last photo she'd taken. Edward had tipped his head toward Bella, still smiling with soft eyes and his guard firmly lowered. It was easy to see how he felt about Bella at that moment, and Rosalie resolved, there and then, to help him realize that he didn't need to keep his mouth shut any longer.

She knew he loved Bella. Truthfully, everybody knew. Well, perhaps Charlie was in a spot of denial – Archie, too – but nobody could miss the fact that their relationship had far surpassed friendship. At least for Edward, it had.

And though Bella hadn't spoken to her about it, Rosalie was pretty certain at this point that Bella was in the same place as Edward, emotionally.

It was just a matter of getting the pair of stubborn fools to admit it to each other.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Come on, baby girl. It's time to say 'goodnight.'"

Marley whined. "But _Mummy_ , I'm not even sl— _yawn_ —eepy."

Bella smothered a smile and tucked a wayward curl behind Marley's ear. "I don't believe you, Marley. Go on, go say 'goodnight.'"

"C'mon, little sweet. I'll come with you."

Edward extended a hand to Marley, and she climbed gingerly from the sofa with a quiet grumble. Bella stood, leaving Bodhi safe and sound in his _DockATot_ , and followed them into the kitchen. The majority of people had gone home at this point, leaving just Charlie, Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett in the kitchen. The latter three would be heading down the street shortly, but had stayed to allow Charlie and Carlisle to finish their brandies together.

When Marley appeared in the doorway, Charlie grinned and crooked a finger. "C'mere Mars, give Pawpaw a hug."

She smiled sleepily and clambered into his lap, locking her little arms around his neck for a 'squeezy cuddle,' as he'd dubbed it. "Mummy says it's bedtime."

"I think you're right, Mars. It _is_ very late."

She scowled, but her yawn interrupted what was likely going to be a tired argument for being allowed to stay up longer, and she sighed in defeat once it was over. "All right. 'Night, Pawpaw. Love you."

Charlie's eyes watered as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against his granddaughter's for a moment, greedily inhaling her sweet scent. She smelled like the gingerbread cookies she'd been scoffing all day and like her mummy's perfume. She was wiping sticky icing on his t-shirt from her hands and her hair tickled his nose, and though earlier she had made him dance to more than one, _OneDirection_ song, he'd never been happier. He'd kissed Carl-Roman and Chase goodbye a little under an hour ago and had hugged his son and wished him a Merry Christmas. He knew Bodhi was fast asleep in the next room, and the rest of his family was healthy and happy.

Bella was standing nearby, still dressed in the red and white striped jumper traditional for a Swan Christmas. She'd baked gingerbread in their kitchen for the first time since 2004, and strung paper chains all around the house with Rosalie and Marley – they'd decorated Peter's house, too, even though they wouldn't be spending as much time there. Charlie had forced Bella, Marley, and Bodhi in front of the Christmas tree with Archie, Kristen, Carl-Roman, and Chase, where they'd had their first family photo with the children.

At the dinner table, there had been smiles and cheeriness for the first time in over a decade. Crackers had been pulled, and silly songs had been sung. He'd watched Bella interact with their family members and fuss over her son and daughter in a way that proved she was always meant to be a mother.

Charlie's eyes had been full of tears for almost the entire day. Happy tears, he'd promised Marley when she spotted them early in the day. He'd been watching Bella unwrap her presents and couldn't hold them back. Marley had seen and climbed his legs to be able to 'hug his sad away.' Touched, he'd explained how happy he was, and with some prodding, she'd been distracted easily enough by the unopened gifts bearing her name.

Now, almost into Boxing Day, Charlie found himself wanting to cling onto Marley and tell Bella to let her stay up longer.

"Come on, baby girl. Bedtime. Look, even Uncle Em is going to bed. Aren't you, Emmett?" Bella beseeched Emmett with her eyes, and smiled gratefully when he caught on and nodded, faking a yawn.

"Sure am. I'll see you in the morning though, little missy."

"Give kisses, little sweet," Edward prompted gently, smiling when she planted a loud one right on Charlie's cheek before moving from person to person, Carlisle to Esme to Emmett, stopping in front of Edward with outstretched arms. "So I'm taking you up, huh?"

"Yes please, Edward." She yawned, tucking her face into his neck as he trailed after Bella towards the stairs. She ducked into the living room to get Bodhi, then they headed up together, Edward frowning as he battled back and forth with himself in his mind.

By the time he'd tucked Marley into her bed, and Bella had settled Bodhi in his crib, Edward had made up his mind.

"Okay, so I'll see you—"

"I've got something for you!" Edward blurted quietly.

Bella smiled, cocking her head. She looked like Marley. "You already gave me my gift, Edward."

He shrugged, pulling an envelope from his back pocket and holding it out to her. It had been there all day. He'd promised himself that he'd save it for the right time, but it hadn't ever seemed to be 'the right time,' and so he was forced to do it now or not at all. Because he knew full well, he'd chicken out if he left it until the following day. "I got you something else."

"You didn't have to get me anything, you know? You already spent far too much on the bracelet."

Edward couldn't help but grin, despite his nerves, and glance down at the sparkly silver bracelet on her left wrist. He'd seen the _Pandora_ bracelets many times before and had thoroughly enjoyed picking out the charms to go on Bella's once he'd decided to get one for her. He'd eventually settled for five.

A 'B,' for obvious reasons. Also, a sparkly 'M' and a 'B' in a slightly more masculine design than the one meant to represent Bella's name – for Marley and Bodhi, respectively. The fourth and fifth charms had taken more thought. Edward had hemmed and hawed over them endlessly, finally purchasing them both on a whim. When he'd watched her unwrap them that morning he'd known how right he'd been to do so. Though she'd loved the letters representing herself and her babies, it had been the silver Jelly Bean and sea-blue crystal heart charms, which had brought her to tears.

Edward was pulled, quite literally, from his memories of the morning when Bella grabbed his arm to drag him out into the hallway, closing the door softly behind her.

"Edward!" She hissed, waving the open envelope and its contents at him. "You can't…what the…? This is too much! I mean, what have you done?"

"I've booked tickets for you to come to Rome with me," he admitted, seemingly easily. Bella could likely see through his front, but Edward gave nonchalance a shot, regardless.

She made a high-pitched squeaking noise and stared at him, dumbstruck.

"Look, Bella," he sighed. "You don't have to come now, or at all. I just thought…well, I figured you'd enjoy a break, and the kids would love it. Your dad, Pete, Arch...they're all coming. Rose and the twins, and probably Emmett, too."

"But...this is too much!"

Smiling softly and reaching out to caress her cheek, Edward chuckled. "Don't you know by now, _bella ragazza_? Nothing is 'too much,' for you."

"I—Edward, you—I can't even—"

Interrupting, Edward murmured beseechingly, desperate for three little letters. "Just say 'yes,' Bella. I promise you won't regret it. Riley is taking care of all the paperwork and logistics, and I've had the villa stocked for weeks. Everything is ready, and everyone is just waiting on your decision. A month in Rome, to sightsee or relax or do whatever-the-hell you want."

"Oh God, nothing like heaping on the pressure, then." Bella huffed, sagging against the closed door at her back. She gazed at Edward for a never-ending minute, searching, but for what, he wasn't sure. Whatever she was looking for, he hoped that she'd see it.

He wasn't hurting for money, by any means, but he also didn't have unlimited funds to draw from. Of course, he wasn't paying for the villa as he owned it, but the flights were booked and paid for, and he'd pre-emptively purchased personalized luggage for Bella, Marley, and Bodhi in the hopes of Bella agreeing. It was all money he'd lose if she said 'no,' which he knew she'd realize and eventually feel guilty over.

He was counting on her guilt to make her agree to the trip.

Everyone was in agreement – she needed this. They all did. They'd all had an incredibly difficult year and had more than earned the chance to kick back and relax in the sun. They were due to leave on March 1st, which meant they'd spend Rosalie's, Bella's, and Marley's shared birthday – March 23rd – in sunny Rome. He'd discussed the idea of the trip with everyone during clandestine moments of time when Bella was distracted with the children, or out grocery shopping with Esme. It had been an exercise in sneaking around, for sure, but he'd wanted to get their opinions before springing it on Bella. Edward knew his own want to see Bella, Marley, and Bodhi relaxing with him in Italy was clouding his judgment.

All they needed now was Bella's agreement.

She sighed, blinking back tears as she wound her arms around Edward and rested her face against his chest. She could feel the racing of his heart as he hugged her, his cheek to the crown of her head. Warmth filled her, his presence always calming her nerves when they became frayed.

"Why do you do it? Why do you do so much for us?" She whispered.

Edward huffed and tightened his grip on her, knowing he couldn't say what he wanted to.

 _Because I love you. I love you more today than I did yesterday, and I'm damn sure I'll love you even more tomorrow._

"Because I want to see you happy. You all deserve happiness more than anyone I've ever met, and if I can help with that, well…I want to." Edward grinned against Bella's hair, inhaling softly and feeling his stomach clench pleasantly at the feminine, apples-and-strawberries scent clinging to her chocolate locks. "Plus, I want to be there when little sweet learns to swim. Sue me, but I'll be jealous if anyone else gets to teach her."

Bella snorted in amusement, but it didn't surprise her. Marley and Edward had bonded beyond expectation, and she'd heard them discussing swimming more than once. Marley was so desperate to learn, but Bella couldn't stomach the thought of her being lost in the chaos of a swimming center. Letting her learn in a swimming pool at Edward's private villa, with only her closest family members and friends around, sounded a lot more appealing.

And the thought of being able to completely relax under the Italian sun, with no paparazzi lingering around every corner, or work commitments to keep Charlie and Peter out all day, made a pretty picture in Bella's mind.

Sighing again, and feeling all the fight drain from her body as the reasons to refuse Edward's generous gift evaporated from her mind, Bella allowed a frisson of excitement to take root in her heart.

"You're not going to take 'no' for an answer, are you?" She asked quietly, knowing he'd hear the defeat in her tone.

He grinned into her hair, and couldn't stop himself from pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "No, I won't. Is that a 'yes,' Bella?"

She pulled back, peering up at him from beneath her long lashes, eyes wide and entrancing as she nodded slowly. "If you're sure, yes; it's a 'yes.'"

Mindful of the sleeping children, Edward scooped Bella from her feet with his hands at her waist, and swung her in three quick circles on the landing with a soft 'whoop' of delight. Bella squealed and clung tight to his shoulders, giddy and surprised by his bold display of emotion.

"Thank you, Bella," he eventually said, once he'd set Bella back on her feet. His hands remained on her waist, gripping lightly.

She gaped at him, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide. "Why are _you_ thanking _me_?"

The grin that stole over his face was wide and crooked; the exact expression she so adored. His grassy green eyes sparkled with joy, and Bella could feel the fast thrum of his pulse in his wrist against her hip.

"For saying 'yes.' For not being too mad with me for booking it all without telling you." His eyes softened then, and Bella reflexively squeezed his shoulders. "For giving me the chance to spend more time with little sweet and Bodhi. I know I hog them, at times. I can't wait to see her face when she sees the pool."

Warmth spread through Bella's veins as she pictured her daughter splashing in a pool she could only imagine, having never seen it herself, with Edward hovering nearby, always watching, always protecting Marley. Bodhi would be big enough to go in, too, either in somebody's arms or in some kind of floating device. That said, the thought of wearing a swimming costume and exposing her numerous scars frightened Bella; she hoped she'd find the courage to go for a swim with them.

The image in Bella's head, of her with her precious babies, and Edward, a man who'd come to mean more to her than she could ever have expected, made tears prickle the backs of her eyes as she stared up at Edward's face.

"Hey, what's the matter? _Cazzo,_ I didn't mean to upset you, _bella ragazza_."

"No, you haven't upset me. Honestly, you haven't."

Edward frowned, disbelieving.

"I promise, you haven't upset me. I'm just…I'm just happy. And tired, excited, overwhelmed…You name it, I'm feeling it," she laughed tearfully, a pleasant shudder rippling through her when Edward huffed softly and reached up to cup her cheek.

"I'll leave you to get some sleep. Tomorrow, I can show you all the proper details for Rome, okay? When you've had a chance to rest. It's been a long, busy day."

Bella nodded, suddenly really feeling the weight of the day upon her slender shoulders. She yawned loudly, blushing at the chuckle it pulled from Edward. He gave her one last, soft squeeze before letting go and stepping back, leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs with one ankle crossed over the other, crooked smile firmly in place.

"Night, Bella. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams, Edward."

Edward turned to head down the stairs but paused when he felt fingers grasping the back of his tank. He twisted, about to ask what Bella needed, but his words cut off abruptly in his throat when Bella's lips landed on his cheek in a soft, but firm, kiss. She lingered there for just a beat longer than strictly needed, pulling back with a bashful smile.

"Thank you. For everything. I really don't know what I'd have done without you, this last year. The kids love you, and I—I do, too."

Before Edward could say a thing, not that he was able anyway, slack-jawed and awed by the heat spreading from the spot on his cheek that she'd kissed, Bella was in her bedroom with the door closing silently behind her.

After stumbling down the hall to his temporary bedroom and falling into bed, Edward laid awake for a long time.

He wore a grin on his face, and held a new knowledge within his heart.

No matter how long he lived, or whatever did or didn't happen between him and Bella in the future, he would always be content to know that she loved him – even if it wasn't in the same, all-encompassing, life-defining way in which he loved her.


	32. Chapter Thirty

**~ oOo ~**

 **So I'm posting early for two reasons:**

 **\- I have absolutely zero self-control  
** and **\- Musette Blanchard and SunflowerFran told me to**

 **Anyways...  
** annaharding **and** SunflowerFran **  
were their awesome selves and got this back to  
me early, and as I've drawn the short straw for having  
to do the early shift with the spotty pup in the morning,  
I figured the least I could do for myself in preparation  
of a wickedly early morning was set myself up for some  
*hopefully* lovely reviews from my most wonderful ever  
readers... :)**

 **For any of you Facebook** ers **, I've set up an author  
page where I'll probably share early teasers or snippets  
and maybe create some storyboards or something for PP -  
feel free to come join the party. The name of the page is  
**

 **"** Ciara Shayee \- Author **"**

 **Oh, before I forget...in case you haven't noticed, we're  
sitting right at ***984*** reviews!**

 **GAAAAAH! I honestly can't believe it! Thank you  
to each and every one of you for reviewing. That's just...  
a crazy number. That said, it would make my _year_ to get to  
the magic 1000 this weekend. Pretty, pretty please!**

 **As an added incentive, I'll be sending a short snippet from  
the next chapter as a reward for reviews again. That seemed  
to go down well last time. Yes, I really am THAT shameless.**

 **Righty ho, so...I'll shut up now and let you  
get to the good stuff.**

 **Progress is coming, sweet readers!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty**

The two months between Christmas and the Rome trip passed in a blur.

In January, on her birthday, they released yellow balloons in memory of Rosalie, Heidi, and Pippa's mum, Tina. It was her favorite color.

On February 1st, they celebrated Clarke's eleventh birthday with the Whitlocks. After playing all day with their dog, Bonnie, who was decked out in a sparkly, conical hat to celebrate 'her boy's' birthday, Marley began pleading her case for a puppy of her own, having fallen totally head over heels for her new, four-legged best friend. Bella made no promises, but she saw the look on Edward's face as Marley attempted to bargain with him – ''mooches forever,' in exchange for a puppy.

Bella doubted that he'd make it a year before caving.

On Valentine's Day, Edward purchased three red roses. The first was for Esme, to keep up with the tradition he'd started as a boy. The other two, very special ones, were for each of his two favorite girls. Marley had been thoroughly confused as to what she was meant to do with hers, but once it had been explained, she'd tended to the flower lovingly for three days until Esme had helped her press it. It now hung above her bed in a frame. Bella's cheeks had flamed the same color as the rose when Edward handed it to her, but she, too, had tenderly cared for hers.

By the time March 1st rolled around Bella had packed and re-packed her case, as well as Marley's and Bodhi's, several times.

They had an early afternoon flight, so the group made their way to the airport in a minibus mid-morning, not wanting to have to spend too much time there, but not wanting to rush, either.

They were a large group, after all – thirteen people, including Carl-Roman, who'd turned seven in November, five-year-old Marley, six-month-old Bodhi, and Chase, who'd celebrated his first birthday back in November, too. Kristen was noticeably absent, but had loosely mentioned 'possibly' joining them halfway through the holiday.

Nobody was holding their breath for that to happen; no-one expected her to show up, even her fiancé.

Mary, Roy, Heidi, and Pippa waved them off, promising to join them in two weeks; in time to celebrate the twenty-second birthdays of Rosalie and Bella, as well as Marley's sixth.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Mummy, look! Look at the clouds!"

Bella smiled, resting a hand on Edward's thigh to steady herself as she leaned over him to look out the window. There were lots of clouds, just as Marley had said. Well, _shouted_ was more like it. More than once she'd tried to remind her exuberant daughter to calm down, but it hadn't made a lick of difference.

Marley was so excited she was getting to ride an 'air-plane' that she'd woken up at five a.m. and been practically vibrating with energy ever since.

"Baby girl, do you want some of your juice?"

"No, thank you, Mummy." She twisted, standing on her seat to grin at Charlie who was seated behind her. "Pawpaw, look! Look at the clouds. So pretty," she sighed, resting her chin between her hands on the back of the chair.

"Mah! Ba ba ba."

Bella smiled, standing to stretch her legs and face her baby boy. Peter had stolen him shortly after they boarded and Bodhi had been pretty content thus far considering he wasn't a big fan of being still now that he'd mastered army crawling. Of course, setting him down in the aisle of the plane wasn't exactly an option. Peter had done pretty well to keep him occupied for the first hour of the flight; Bella was impressed.

"You want me to take him, Uncle Pete? He's probably getting hungry."

"Better had, I need to use the restroom. Thanks, Bella."

Bodhi gave his mother a wide, gummy grin as he was handed over, patting her cheeks cheerfully when she sat down with him after pulling a sachet of his favorite puree down from the overhead storage bin. Edward chuckled and fastened a bib around Bodhi's neck, snapping photos as Bella struggled to keep her son upright while attempting to minimize the mess he made with his apple and banana food.

With a full belly and a bottle of milk, Bodhi was more than content to sit on Bella's lap and watch his big sister climb all over Edward. He adored Marley fiercely. If they were in the same room, his eyes were always following her. And if she was close enough for him to hear her voice, he'd reach for her and get agitated if she didn't appear quickly enough. It was beautiful to see, and never failed to make Charlie emotional when he witnessed their bond; so similar to the one their mother shared with their uncle.

 **~ oOo ~**

By the time they landed in Rome, at the Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Marley was desperate have more than a square foot of space in which to roam, and both Bodhi and Chase were more than ready for their long overdue, afternoon naps.

The group hurried through the airport as quickly as possible, Bella carrying Marley while Edward held Bodhi in his sling against his chest. He was growing increasingly fussy, though Edward tried his best to keep him as calm as possible. The airport was busy enough that Bella's anxiety had begun to climb, as was Rosalie's. Bella, in particular, didn't need the added stress of attempting to soothe her cranky baby.

Thankfully, with Riley's connections and Edward's ability to act as translator, they managed to make it through all the security checks and reach their rental vehicle fairly quickly, and with surprising ease.

Enrico had arranged two cars for the group – both six-seaters, with plenty of room for their luggage. They were parked side-by-side in the garage, and the group wasted no time in loading them up once the attendant had pointed them out. He was a portly man with kind brown eyes and short gray hair. He grinned, showing off the gap between his two top teeth, as he peered into the sling on Edward's chest.

" _Sembra proprio come te. Quanti anni ha?_ "

Edward frowned, glancing down at Bodhi before shooting Bella a look she couldn't decipher. " _Quasi sette mesi._ "

" _Ahh. Devi essere molto orgoglioso._ "

Bella had no idea what Edward was saying, but a quick glance at the rest of her family revealed that she was the only person paying any attention; everybody else was busy loading the minibuses. Marley had abandoned her in favor of sitting in the driving seat of the red minibus with Carl-Roman, so she was left beside Edward and the parking attendant, having no clue as to what they were discussing.

The way he kept glancing sideways at Bodhi, and her, from the corner of his eyes, made it seem entirely likely that she and Bodhi were the subject of their conversation.

" _Immensamente_. _Lui e sua sorella mi rendono orgoglioso ogni giorno._ "

The older man laughed, reaching out to clasp Edward's shoulder in his bony, wrinkled hand. " _Li ami molto,_ _è_ _facile da vedere._ "

With a sigh, Edward nodded, his lips curling upward into a small smile. " _Li amo più della mia vita._ "

Bella knew enough, thanks to Edward's slip-ups in recent months and subsequent Italian lessons with Marley and Carl-Roman, to work out that he'd said 'I love' and 'my life' in his last sentence, but the words that strung the phrases together were a mystery.

The parking attendant wandered away with a wink in Bella's direction, leaving her staring at Edward's back as he set about removing Bodhi from his sling to settle him in the car seat Charlie had installed. She snapped herself out of the stupor caused by hearing Edward speak his first language and resolved to ask him later on what he'd discussed with the older man.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Umm, Edward?"

Edward turned to face Rosalie as he rummaged in his backpack with his free hand; with his other, he cradled Bodhi. He shot Rosalie a cursory glance. "Yeah?"

She blinked, rubbing sleep from her eyes and shaking her head. " _This_ is your house?"

"Mmhm. It doesn't look that big from the front, but it spreads out in the back."

"I don't…that's not what I was getting at."

Esme wound her arm around Rosalie, giving her a light squeeze. "It's certainly something, isn't it? I had the same reaction as you when I saw it the first time after he finished it."

"Wait…" Rosalie replayed Esme's words in her head as Edward cheered, finally locating the keys. "'Finished it?'"

"I built this place with Nonno Enrico, from the ground, up," Edward admitted proudly as he waved everybody forward into the villa.

Charlie entered first, lights switching on automatically ahead of him. Everybody else followed; Esme pulling Rosalie along gently.

The pride and awe on Bella's face didn't escape Rosalie's notice, either.

Bella walked in beside Edward, each of them cradling one of her children. Marley was fast asleep at this point, out like a light draped over Bella's chest with her head on her mother's shoulder; face tucked into her neck. Bodhi had woken up when Edward removed him from his car seat and was looking around at his new surroundings with wide-eyed wonder.

It was dark out, so the group hadn't been able to see much of Edward's villa, apart from that it was built from rustic, sand-colored stone. It didn't appear to be very large, though they immediately realized that they were wrong when they entered through the front door.

They were on a sort of landing which spanned the length of the building they'd stepped into, roughly half the width, with a railing separating it from the lower living area and a wooden staircase in the same, honey-colored wood as the front door, leading down. Bella moved to peer over, surprised to see the relatively modern furnishings beneath – a contrast to the rustic architecture of the building itself. Whites and honey wood seemed to be the staple.

"I don't entertain much, but this is usually where I have guests over," Edward said softly, leading the group down the stairs. They followed dutifully, only Carlisle and Esme unsurprised at the grandeur, yet simplicity, of Edward's home.

"This isn't a villa, Edward," Peter told him with a chuckle. "I don't know what it is, but it's not a villa."

Edward turned to grin at his uncle. "According to Nonna Essa, it's technically a 'farmhouse' by design. But, obviously, I don't raise animals here, nor do I farm crops." He opened a pair of double doors and led everyone through the corridor on the other side until they reached the second set of doors. "Okay, so this is the living room I actually prefer. It's cozier."

Bella couldn't help but smile when she brought up the rear, stepping into the room amidst gasps and murmurs of approval. The room was painted cream, the motion-activated lamps lighting it with a warm glow. A cream brick fireplace had been lit in the corner thanks to the regular cleaning company Edward employed for when he was due to return after a trip away anywhere, and the terracotta tiles underfoot were toasty even through the thin soles of Bella's flipflops. A pair of large, gray, L-shaped sofas were placed opposite one another, almost creating a rectangle, with a square wooden table in the center.

When Marley woke, she'd doubtlessly be all over the bowls of candies someone had placed in the middle of the table.

The soothing crackle of the flames dancing in the hearth made the framed photos decorating the mantle appear alive; Bella stepped forward to take a closer look. The first was clearly Edward as a child, even before Bella had met him. She'd guess that he was around three years old, with his toothy grin and a football tucked under one arm, wild bronze hair standing in a crazy tangle atop his head.

There were a couple of photos of him with his parents, his mother looking decidedly miserable in both, and then Bella got to a cluster of photos she didn't recognize, but made her smile all the same; they were all in England.

Each one contained some combination of Edward, Archie, Bella, Rosalie, Heidi, Pippa, Charlie, and Peter. At the beach, the park, a games night at Peter's, a barbecue at Charlie's; they were all happy memories. The children grew up before Bella's eyes, Edward's boyish grin changing from goofy to charming as he grew from a boy into a young man.

The photos ended during that Spring.

The spring of the abduction.

The last photo was of all six kids. It was taken the same day as the photo Charlie displayed in the hall back in England, of the children piled, fast asleep, on a blanket. The difference was that in this photo they were all awake and sitting on a bench with ice cream in sticky hands and bright smiles in place on rosy faces.

Bella adjusted Marley slightly, reaching out to trace her own face through the glass of the frame. She looked happy. Watermelon ice cream ringed her lips as she grinned at the camera, one hand clutching her cone, the other clasped with Rosalie's. Heidi and Pippa were five-years-old at the time, both covered in ice cream and wearing identical smiles. Behind the four girls, Archie and Edward sat atop the picnic table, beaming and carelessly, messy-haired.

They made a beautiful, happy image.

"I like that one, too. It's my second favorite."

Bella started, surprised to feel Edward's hand resting lightly at the small of her back. She looked round, noticing that they were alone. Well, besides Marley and Bodhi.

"I showed everyone to their rooms. You seemed engrossed," he said softly, smiling in a way that belied his curiosity.

"It's nice to see us all so happy and peaceful," Bella told him. "I've never seen this one. It was the same day as the one on the picnic blanket, wasn't it?"

Edward nodded, dimples appearing as he smiled crookedly. "Yeah. It was so freaking cold, but you girls insisted we should get ice cream anyway." He picked up the photo, his eyes thoughtful, before setting it back down with a sigh. "Charlie has almost the exact same one of Carl-Roman, little sweet, Chase, and Bodhi. I think he wants to get it on a canvas, though."

Bella nodded, remembering her dad saying that. He'd taken a bunch of photos of Marley and Bodhi's first park visit, and it was one of those that he wanted blown up to go in the kitchen. Edward was right; it was very similar to this picture.

"All right, do you want me to show you to your room? I gave you the bigger one, so you've got lots of room for sleeping beauty and the little guy."

"Sure. Thank you, Edward."

"No problem." Edward led Bella through another corridor, then down a flight of stone stairs. They passed only two doors on their way – one was clearly a bathroom, as Bella spotted a toilet on her way by, but the other door was closed to her curious eyes. Bella was agog at the grand size of the building, seemingly never-ending as it was. Even more so when they reached the room Edward had saved for her.

The terracotta tiles went throughout the building and continued here, as did the cream walls and honey toned wood. The room boasted a four-poster bed made up with white bedding, and chocolate brown cushions, a soft, fluffy throw in the same chocolate color draped over the end. A cream fabric lounge chair sat in the corner between two curtained windows. A fireplace sat opposite the bed with a sun-shaped mirror above, and Bella spotted a pack-and-play already set up beside the queen-size bed. On the other side of the large room stood an imposing wooden wardrobe, its matching dresser standing beneath the third window on the same wall as the door through which they'd entered.

Bella was stunned.

"Edward, this…this room is beautiful! If this is your guest bedroom, I'd love to see what your room looks like!"

Mesmerized by the room as she was, Bella didn't notice the look that crossed Edward's face at her words, or the heat that flashed within his eyes, darkening them to jade.

He coughed through a suddenly tight throat, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. Maybe. So, ah, I'll leave you to get settled, then? You want Bodhi in the crib?"

Bella laid Marley carefully on the bed, managing not to wake her though she did roll and snuggle Mr. Eddie to her chest with a soft sigh, before taking Bodhi from Edward. "That's okay, I need to get him changed for bed anyway. Thank you, though."

"No problem. I'm just up the corridor, second door on the right if you need anything."

"All right. Night, Edward."

Despite his momentary awkwardness of a few moments previous, Edward smiled and reached out to tuck a loose lock of Bella's hair behind her ear. She flushed under his intense perusal and peered up at him from beneath her lashes. " _Buona notte, bella ragazza_."

She raised her free hand to the spot where his fingers had brushed her cheek, and could still feel the warmth of his touch when she crawled beneath the sheets a short while later, Bodhi sound asleep in his travel crib, Marley snoring softly on the pillow beside her.

 **~ oOo ~**

The following morning Bella woke with a start.

Her eyes flashed open as she flew upright with a gasp, heart pounding a rapid tattoo.

"Sorry, Aunt Bella," Carl-Roman murmured bashfully.

"Sorry, Mummy. We didn't mean to make you jump," Marley added.

They were both kneeling on the foot of the bed, abashed smiles on their faces as Bella sucked in deep breaths to calm herself. Seeing that she was fine and in no danger, she managed to soothe herself with a sigh.

"It's okay, don't worry. What're you two monkeys up to?"

"Pawpaw said to come see if you're awake."

Bella's lips edged towards a smile. "So you thought you'd jump on my bed?"

"Yeah!" They cheered in unison, bouncing up one the bed to settle on either side of Bella.

"Pawpaw said we have to wait for you to have breakfast before we can go swimmin', Mummy."

The forlorn look on Marley's face was comical; Bella wished she had her phone closer to hand, but she had no idea which bag it had been left in after she used it to snap a photo of the airport the previous evening.

"All right, well, you two go tell Pawpaw that I'm on my way, okay? I'll just grab Bodhi—"

"Bodhi's with Aunt Rose, Aunt Bella," Carl-Roman interjected helpfully. "Me and Aunt Rose came to get Marley when I woke up, and baby Bodhi was awake, so we took him, too."

 _Well, that explains the lay-in, then,_ Bella thought as she stretched leisurely before placing a kiss on each of the children's heads. Usually, one or both of her kids woke her.

"We'll go get some breakfast ready for you, Aunt Bella. C'mon, Mars, let's go. Hurry, Aunt Bella! We wanna go swimming!"

Before Bella knew it, she was alone again, the children running from the room calling out to their Pawpaw.

By the time she'd washed, dressed, and found everyone, locating them by listening for the children's laughter, Carl-Roman and Marley had her breakfast waiting. They'd heaped fruit salad and fresh, still-warm pancakes onto a plate along with a boatload of syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.

"Morning, everyone," she murmured as she stepped out onto the patio.

Six heads - Charlie's, Peter's, Marley's, Carl-Roman's, Chase's, and Rosalie's - turned to face her.

Archie, Emmett, and Edward were missing, as were Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Bodhi.

"Here you go, Mummy!" Marley sang, patting the seat beside her at the long picnic table with a beaming grin. "Come sit with me."

Bella grinned, taking the seat beside her daughter, and began tucking in as her family chorused their 'good mornings'.

It was only March, so it wasn't hot by any means, but Bella was still comfortable only wearing a pair of light jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. A quick glance around showed her that the others were dressed similarly.

"Aw, you're up!"

Bella swallowed her mouthful of food, twisting a little. Edward was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a disappointed tilt to his features as he spotted her. "Umm, sorry?"

He chuckled, the sound pleasingly husky to Bella's ears. It gave away the fact that he hadn't been up long, himself.

"No, don't be sorry. I figured you needed the rest is all, that's why I bribed Rose to steal the kids."

"Ah, I see. Well, two very eager little monkeys came to fetch me so they could get on with their day. Something about swimming?"

Edward's face lit up - as did Marley's and Carl-Roman's. "Yes, as soon as everybody's food has gone down and everyone has eaten." He crossed the patio to lean down and whisper in Bella's ear. "I've got a surprise for the kids. Do you trust me?"

Though there were a lot of things Bella couldn't bring herself to do - leave the kids with someone who wasn't family, be idle for longer than a few minutes, beat her fear of sudden, loud noises – trusting Edward wasn't one of them.

"Of course," she replied simply, turning to smile at Edward. His face was closer than anticipated so she could smell the citrus scented shampoo he'd used that morning and the woodsy aftershave he favored. Her stomach fluttered, so she quickly resumed eating, trying not to mind when Edward disappeared back into the kitchen with a wide, double-dimpled grin.

True to his promise, once everyone had a chance to digest their food Edward sent them off to change into their swimming clothes. Archie, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, and Esme had resurfaced mid-breakfast, and the latter walked with Bella and Marley to their room, carrying Bodhi. He babbled the entire way, chubby fists each holding a cheesy _Wotsit_ puff. He was wiping orange dust all over Esme, but she repeatedly waved off Bella's attempts to take him.

"He's fine, Bella. Edward got me far messier as a child, trust me."

Bella smiled, remembering all the stories Esme had told her while they waited for Edward to wake up from his coma. He'd been a wild toddler, by the sounds of it.

Marley ran ahead into the bedroom once they reached it, and Esme paused in the doorway.

"I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of getting this for you," she said softly, her hazel eyes kind and warm as she held out a carrier bag.

Frowning, Bella took the bag and peered in. "What is it?"

"Rosalie mentioned that you were worried about your scars? Sorry, I hope I'm not overstepping. She was worried about you, but she wasn't sure what to do. It's nothing fancy, just a tankini style two-piece. It has shorts, so I thought you might be more comfortable."

In the months since her return to England, Bella had slowly gotten used to having Esme around, to the point that she looked forward to her popping in and her company during shopping trips or visits to the park with the kids. Often, she sold her visits by saying that she was bored or just wanted to see the children, but Bella knew Esme was doing those things to help her. She knew Bella couldn't go to the park or the grocery store alone, so she made sure to stop in once or twice a week to accompany Bella on her errands. That's just how she was; kind, helpful, and unfailingly loving.

Bella's eyes prickled with the threat of incoming tears as she held the carrier bag to her stomach, giving Esme a watery smile. "Thank you, Esme. I…this means a lot. Really, thank you."

Esme smiled and gave Bodhi a quick kiss before handing him over to his mother. "No need to thank me. Bella, I hope you know that I love you; you _and_ the children, and I'll always be here for you, be it to rant, cry, or help you with something like this. Okay?"

Unable to speak through the lump in her throat, Bella nodded jerkily and shuffled into her bedroom. Judging by the look on Esme's face, she understood.

"Mummy, please can you help me? I'm stuck."

Bella pulled herself from her stupor, turning to face Marley. She couldn't help but laugh aloud when she spotted her daughter. Marley had taken off her t-shirt and cardigan and was halfway into her swim shirt. In her excitement, she hadn't noticed it was zip-up, so she'd pulled it over her head and gotten her arm stuck in the air, unable to figure out where the head hole was.

"Hang on, baby. Let me put your brother down."

Bodhi grinned gummily as Bella laid him on his back in the center of the bed, quickly penning him in with a cluster of cushions before turning to his sister. All it took was a quick downward swipe with the zip and Marley was free.

She blinked a few times, then a wide smile spread across her face. "Thank you, Mummy. That was scary!"

Bella giggled, crouching to give her baby girl an Eskimo kiss. She was getting so big and growing up so quickly; Bella could barely stand it. "Do you need more help or can you do the rest, baby girl?"

Marley quickly shoved her other arm into the spare arm of her rash vest, then zipped it up with a proud smirk for Bella. "I can do it! Do I need undies under my shorts?"

"No baby, just the shorts are okay."

"All right. C'mon, get baby Bodhi so we can go swimming! Edward said he's gonna teach me!"

With a proud but wistful smile, Bella nodded and stood, setting about stuffing Bodhi's chubby, flailing appendages into the arms and legs of his swim romper. It was white with turquoise and navy sharks all over, and Bella couldn't help but sigh at the adorable sight he made once he was all zipped up.

"Aw, he looks like a little surfer dude," Marley commented, leaning over to blow raspberries on her brother's feet. "You know…like in _Surf's Up_?" She'd tugged on her blue and white swim shorts, shoved her feet into a pair of pink flip flops boasting a huge bow at the front, and had her tropical print toweling poncho ready to go on the dresser next to the door.

She'd definitely picked up on Esme's organizational skills.

"Cute, huh? Do you remember where I put my phone, Marley? I want to take a picture of my two cutie-patooties."

"Sure, Mummy. S'in baby Bodhi's bag. Wait right here…"

While Marley rummaged through Bodhi's baby bag, Bella leaned down to kiss her sweet boy's face, delighting in his resulting belly chuckles.

"Here it is! C'mere, baby Bodhi."

When Rosalie tapped on the door a few minutes later, Bella was just snapping a photo of Marley and Bodhi on the bed – Marley sitting with Bodhi atop her crossed legs, both grinning wide for the camera.

"Oh my God, how cute do you guys look?" She exclaimed, whipping out her own phone to take a photo before either of them could move.

"Aunt Rose, we're going swimming!"

"I know, Mars," Rosalie laughed. "You told me at breakfast. And you didn't stop talking about it all day yesterday, remember?"

Marley sighed, a dreamy smile on her face. "Yeah. Can we go now, Mummy?"

Before taking photos of the children, Bella had quickly changed into the navy and white tankini with matching swim shorts, and pulled a blue patterned kaftan over her head, so once she'd slipped her feet into a pair of white flip flops she was ready.

"All right, come on then. Don't forget your towel!"

Marley waited until Bella had taken Bodhi, then darted off the bed and took off running, swiping her cover up on the way out the door. Bella and Rosalie laughed at her exuberance as they followed behind at a more sedate pace.

"I can't wait to see her in the pool," Rosalie admitted softly.

"I know, me neither. She's been looking forward to it ever since Edward told her there'd be a pool."

"Well, she's always been a water baby."

It was true; Marley had always loved water. Right from the start she'd cooed and smiled whenever she was given a bath. And later, as a toddler, she'd often asked for baths in her silent way, even if she'd already had one earlier in the day.

As they reached the fork in the corridor that would take them to the kitchen or to the main entrance of the house, Edward appeared, Marley clinging to his back like a spider monkey.

"Ah, there you are dawdling along! Don't you know we've got swimming to do?" He teased, jostling Marley on his back just to make her giggle. She didn't disappoint, resting her chin on his shoulder with a toothy smile.

"Yeah, we've got swimming to do!"

Bella laughed and followed Edward when he turned to head back the way he and Marley had come. "Sorry, baby girl. We'll try to keep up from now on, okay?"

"Okay, Mummy. It's okay if you're a bit slower."

The group of adults were still laughing when they reached the patio where the others were waiting. Marley was visibly pleased to have entertained them, though her cheeks heated a little at the attention.

"All right gang, are we ready? Do we all have our flip flops, hats, floaties?" Edward asked with a cheer.

A chorus of 'yeses' rang out, so he grinned and led everyone down the handful of steps at the end of the patio. They followed him across a small lawn, and round to the other side of the house. In the daylight, they'd all realized just how un-villa-like Edward's home truly was. Spread over three floors, the house boasted seven bedrooms, as well as two living areas, a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry, several bathrooms and half-baths, and Edward's music room. There was also a study and a room Edward used as a spare bedroom if he had a lot of guests. More than once Bella had wondered if it really was all the result of his trust fund, or whether he topped up his earnings with a job – not that she'd ever seen him do anything that appeared to be work.

As Bella and Rosalie trailed at the back of the group, Bella marveled at the beautiful building, unsurprised by Edward's pride in it now that she'd had the chance to see much of it in all its glory.

When they rounded a corner, Bella knew immediately they'd found the pool. Marley, still on Edward's back, squealed loud enough that her mother and aunt heard her from twenty feet away. Carl-Roman had been running along beside Edward, and he too joined in with her excited cheering. When Bella caught up, she realized just what Edward's surprise was, and why he'd asked her if she trusted him.

The pool was huge; kidney bean-shaped, and boasted two large slides. One was straight and fairly low, most likely intended for young children, and the second was notably taller with a curl – much like the big yellow slide back in Hampden Park. Suddenly, Bella remembered hearing the tail end of a phone call Edward had taken one day shortly before this trip. He'd made a point of getting two slides so that there would be options to choose from for the kids. One taller, and one slightly more child-friendly.

"Ooh, Mummy, look! A slide in the water!" Marley crowed, slipping down from Edward's back and running to Bella to tug on her kaftan. "Can I try it, Mummy? Please, please, please?"

"Hang on, baby girl. You need your floaties and sunscreen."

By the time the children had been slathered in sun cream and had their floaties blown up and shoved onto their bodies, Edward had dragged out the inflatables he'd ordered and thrown them into the pool.

Carl-Roman immediately threw himself into the water, clambering onto the back of the crocodile. Marley, despite her eagerness and protests at having to wear a children's life vest, hesitated at the edge of the pool. Edward crouched beside her, gently tugging her lower lip from between her teeth with his thumb.

"Hey, what's the matter, little sweet?" He crooned softly.

Bella's eyes were trained on their backs as she laid Bodhi on a blanket beside Chase. The boys were nine-months-apart in age, but they adored each other. Chase preoccupied Bodhi with the toys Archie set out for him, so Bella watched her daughter and Edward closely, knowing Bodhi wasn't going anywhere fast.

"I…I can't swim, Edward."

"That's okay; I'm going to teach you. You've got your floaties on so you won't sink. And besides," he nudged her playfully, reaching up to tickle the shell of her ear with his fingertip to make her smile before continuing, "do you really think I'd let you sink, little sweet?"

Marley sighed and rolled her head to peer at him from beneath her lashes, eyes the color of the most beautiful ocean…wide and mesmerizing. "You promise?"

Edward smiled, holding up a pinky finger. His grin only widened at the pleased look on Marley's face. "I'll go one better, little sweet. I _pinky promise_ that I won't let you sink, okay?"

"'Kay."

She linked her tiny pinky with his, giggling girlishly when he impulsively leaned forward to kiss the top of her baby finger with a playful wink.

They were both completely oblivious to the watery eyes watching the exchange from a few feet away. Bella reached up to rub the spot over her heart as it thumped away in her chest. She wondered just how she was going to ever be able to make up for the heartbreak she knew her daughter would suffer when Edward returned to his home, here in Italy, permanently, as he inevitably would at some point. She hated knowing that Marley's heart was going to be broken, yet there was nothing she could do to protect her.

Seeing her here, happy and content, safe and innocent as all five-year-old's should be, Bella couldn't bring herself to ask Edward to take a step back from Marley – and to be honest, she wasn't sure he would, anyway. Bella wasn't oblivious to the way Edward adored Marley, though she did wonder how far that adoration would stretch.

As she sighed, sitting on a lounger to watch Bodhi and Marley in turn, Bella made her peace with the fact that, at some point, she'd have a very sad little girl at home, missing her best friend. Edward could visit, and perhaps they could come and visit him here in the future. She was willing to do whatever she had to do, because seeing her baby girl splash and play and love on Edward was well worth the trials Bella would have to face when he eventually left England to return to his real life.

It was worth it.

Edward was worth it.

* * *

 **Airport conversation Italian – English:**

Parking attendant: " _Sembra proprio come te._ _Quanti anni ha?"_ – He looks just like you. How old is he?

Edward: " _Quasi sette mesi."_ – Almost seven months.

P.A: _"Ahh. Devi essere molto orgoglioso._ " – Ahh. You must be very proud.

Edward: _"Immensamente_. _Lui e sua sorella mi rendono orgoglioso ogni giorno._ " – Immensely. He and his sister make me proud every day.

P.A: " _Li ami molto,_ _è facile da vedere_." – You love them a lot, it's easy to see.

Edward: " _Si. Li amo più della mia vita_." – Yes. I love them more than my own life.


	33. Chapter Thirty-One

**~ oOo ~**

 **So I was just sitting at home today, wondering why  
I felt like I'd forgotten something, and then it hit me.**

 **It's update day! Yay!**

 **A lot of you are just desperate for Bella and Edward  
to finally suck it up and admit what we all know -  
they're meant to be together! I know I've been saying  
it forever, but they really are so,** ** _so_** **close...**

 **Somebody expressed concerns about the children  
and the pool, but don't fret - do you really think Edward  
would let anything happen to his little sweet? ;)  
Or any of the adults let anything happen to any of the  
little kiddos? Plus, this holiday is going to be a relaxing,  
sweet trip. No drama here!**

 **As always, hugeeee thank you's to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
for wielding their red pens and turning the messes I send  
into the respectable pieces of writing you all seem to enjoy.**

 **And thank you to** ** _you_** **all for reading and reviewing, week  
on week! It really does mean an awful lot to me.**

 **Reviews to this chapter will earn a sneak peak into the next  
chapter, and trust me, it's one you've been waiting for... ;)**

 **Because I'm super jealous of all you lucky people going to the  
Vegas Twi-Fic Meet-Up, I've created a group for the UK. If you're  
from the UK and/or you would be interested in arranging something  
similar here, please join. The group is open to everyone and is  
called  
**

 *****Twi-Fic Meet-Ups UK*****

 **There's a little note for new writers at the bottom - please  
check it out! It's worth a read :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-One**

He was just about to step into his bedroom when he heard it.

Edward hesitated, hand resting on the handle of his bedroom door, and listened carefully.

There. Again.

Edward's feet were instantly carrying him to the end of the hall before he could consider his actions, his glass of water forgotten on the side-table outside his door. Pausing just outside Bella's room, Edward briefly contemplated what he was about to do, finally deciding that he wouldn't be able to sleep unless he knew she was okay; he opened the door quietly.

His eyes adjusted quickly; Bella had left the curtains open just a little. Moonlight filtered into the room to bathe her in its milky glow. She was on top of the covers, writhing and whimpering in her sleep. When Edward got closer, he remembered that Marley and Bodhi were having a sleepover – Carl-Roman and Chase, too – with Charlie and Peter in the main living room. They'd pitched tents made from sheets and cushions, a rite of passage Marley had missed out on thus far.

As he carefully knelt on the edge of Bella's bed, Edward wondered if it was Marley's and Bodhi's absence in the room that had brought on Bella's nightmare.

"Hey, _bella ragazza_ , you're okay. It's okay, you're all right," he crooned gently, reaching out to touch Bella's arm. She flinched away from his touch, her head whipping around on her pillows as she groaned. Sweat was beading on her forehead, a frown etched into her skin as unknown terrors haunted her sleep.

With a grimace, Edward realized that he could probably guess what, or _who_ was troubling her.

"Bella, _mi amore,_ wake up for me."

Suddenly, with a jolt, Bella bolted upright, clutching desperately at Edward's hand. Her eyes wheeled around the room before finally finding Edward's face. She blinked hard, focusing slowly. Her breaths came in rapid pants, and Edward realized she was, maybe, seconds away from a full-blown panic attack if he couldn't calm her down.

"Hey, hey, you're okay. It's me, Edward. It's just me."

"Edward…just you. Just Edward," Bella breathed, her tense posture relaxing slightly as she slumped, bowing her shoulders and pulling her knees up to rest her head upon them. She sucked in deep breaths as Edward gently rubbed circles on the back of her hand, her grip on his fingers almost painful.

Slowly, so slowly, he felt her body begin to sag. After a few minutes, she lifted her head enough to meet his gaze. Shame clouded hers, while all his conveyed was worry.

"I'm sorry," Bella murmured. "Did I wake you?"

"Firstly, don't you dare apologize, 'kay? No, you didn't wake me. I couldn't sleep, and I heard you on my way back from getting a glass of water."

Bella nodded, resting her cheek on her knees so she could still look up at him. In the dark, he wondered if she could see his adoration, admiration, and pride.

He wondered if she could see how much he loved her.

"Have you been having these nightmares often?" He whispered.

She sighed and let her eyes close. "No. Not for a few weeks. I think…I think it's because Marley and Bodhi aren't in here. Does that sound stupid?"

Bella's eyes shot open when Edward's fingers glided over her cheek.

"No, Bella. It doesn't sound stupid. I'd kind of figured that might be it, actually. Do you want me to go get them? Marley sleeps like the dead; she'll be easy to move."

Shaking her head, Bella sat up and rubbed at her eyes with her free hand. She didn't seem willing to let go of Edward just yet, and he wasn't inclined to let go of her, either. "No, they're fine. Let them sleep. Um, will you…No, don't worry."

Edward smirked, ducking slightly and using their joined hands to gently nudge her face up a little. He hated when she hid her face from him, especially those expressive azure eyes. They were called the windows to the soul for good reason. "What? I'll do anything, Bella. You should know that by now."

She flushed, the rush of blood to her cheeks visible in the pale light, even more noticeable; perhaps, because of the ghostly white she'd turned during her nightmare. "I just…I thought I might go and get some fresh air, but, I don't want to go outside alone. Feel free to say 'no,' honestly. It's late. I can open a window…"

"Wait right here, okay? I'll be back in just a second."

Bella nodded, leaning back against the headboard. Edward squeezed her hand gently before heading to his room. When he returned moments later, she was frowning into her wardrobe.

"What's the matter?"

"I didn't pack a spare jumper, and Bodhi spilled his milk over my cardigan. Is it terribly cold outside?"

"Probably, so it's a good job I'm prepared, huh?" She turned to face him then, smiling when he held up a hoodie. "C'mere, _bella ragazza_."

She crossed the room on silent footfalls, standing in front of him with a bashful half-smile.

"Arms up," he whispered. With a soft grin of his own, Edward bunched the jumper up until he had the neck hole in his hands, then slid it carefully over her head, aiming the arms so she could push her hands through. The jumper was far too big for her tiny frame, and Edward chuckled quietly when he looked down at her, dwarfed in his favorite hoodie. "Here, let me." With gentle hands, he took the sleeves and rolled them until hers were visible, then reached back to her hair, tugging it from inside the hoodie and smoothing her long, loose waves down her back. Then he settled with his hands resting at the juncture between her neck and shoulders, loosely holding the cords to adjust the hood.

She stared up at his face, a myriad of emotions displayed across her fine features, as Edward fought all of his instincts telling him to lean down and close the distance between their lips.

"You didn't… um, you look after me, but you don't have to feel obligated, you know?"

Edward sighed, letting his thumb reach up to stroke her jaw. _Soft...She's so soft._ More than ever before, Edward wanted to feel the soft skin of her jaw against his lips. He wanted to capture her Cupid's bow mouth in a kiss to show her just how well he could take care of her if she wanted.

"I like taking care of you," he began carefully. "As long as you don't mind. I don't ever want to overstep or make you uncomfortable."

"You haven't! You don't! I mean, I feel safe with you. I always have," Bella told him earnestly, leaning just a little into his touch against her face. It made Edward smile, seeing the way her eyelids fluttered, her breath hitching with a quiet, content sigh.

"Good. I'm glad." Edward huffed, releasing the cords of the jumper to caress her cheek before deciding, _fuck it_ , and leaning in. He felt, more than heard, Bella's shuddered "oh," and his lips curled up against her hairline, where he lingered for a few seconds longer.

When he pulled back, she blinked hard a few times, looking thoroughly confused.

"Shall we?" Edward asked, only a hint of his amusement shining through in his tone.

"'Shall we,' what?" Bella murmured.

"Go outside for some fresh air?"

"Oh. Yeah. Ummm, yes, let's go for some fresh air."

Feeling slightly smug at the reactions he could draw from her, Edward took her hand to lead her from the room. She followed him through the house, her footsteps silent beside his. Sometimes it still unnerved Edward, how quiet she could be.

Instead of cutting through the living area, where Charlie, Peter, and the children were sleeping, Edward turned off and took Bella through the kitchen. She snapped out of her stupor when she realized they were going out a different way than she'd thought.

Stepping outside into the cool night air, Bella gasped. In the low glow of the moon, her eyes found hundreds upon hundreds of white roses, all growing around a series of eight arches in a line. Edward walked slowly, gently leading her beneath the beautifully scented bows, a soft, hopeful smile on his face. She couldn't believe her eyes. Perfectly tended, ankle-high hedgerows lined the path, greenery Bella couldn't identify winding around the bottom of the wooden poles, segueing into the swaths of roses. As they moved forward, Bella's ears picked up the sound of running water. Pausing to stroke the silky, soft white petals of a particularly large bloom, she looked ahead and spotted the low, bricked edge of a fountain. Awed, she moved closer and crouched, admiring the ripples sent outward by the jets in the center. Her hand moved of its own accord, fingertips brushing the very outermost undulations.

"Edward…" she breathed, surprised when she looked up, and he wasn't beside her as she expected. Bella turned in a circle, sighing when she spotted him. Edward had gone ahead and was leaning against the end of a white, wooden arbor seat. It had trellises at its back and sides, and white roses continued up and over it, framing Edward. He had one ankle crossed in front of the other, hands tucked into the pockets of his red check sleep pants. He looked heartbreakingly handsome, backlit by small fairy lights interwoven with the flowers.

"This is…Jesus, it's beyond beautiful!"

Edward's lips curled upwards, the intensity of his jade green gaze trained intently upon her face almost too much for Bella to bear. "'Beautiful' doesn't even begin to cover it."

Abruptly feeling as though she was missing something, Bella sucked in a deep breath and peered around at her surroundings. When she glanced up at Edward again, he'd moved and was standing just a foot or two away on the other side of the fountain.

"Will you dance with me?"

"D-dance?" She sputtered. "But…there's no music! And I can't dance!"

"That's okay, I've got some on my phone, I think."

Bella scoffed, her heart thundering as he circled the water feature, taking her left hand in his right before placing it on his shoulder. With his left, he fiddled with his phone for a few moments, then bent to set it on the edge of the fountain before taking Bella's free hand. She frowned at him as he grinned wolfishly, leading her in a simple sequence of steps. Bella surprised herself by being able to follow him easily, and was shocked to recognize the song he'd chosen, even without the words.

"Richard Marx?"

Edward raised his eyebrows, obviously impressed. "Right Here Waiting," he confirmed. "It's one of my favorites."

Bella smiled, letting the flow of the music and the magic of their location lull her into a calmness she hadn't felt for a long time. As they moved she found herself gravitating closer, until, by the time the piece segued into Lionel Richie's Endless Love, her body was almost pressed against the length of his. They moved as one, perfectly in sync. Even without Lionel, the moment was intimate and, _dare Bella think it?..._ Romantic.

Edward dropped his head, resting his temple against Bella's as he quietly crooned the words to the song. His rich, warm voice sent frissons of heat through Bella's body, emotions, and feelings she'd never experienced before suddenly taking over her every thought.

Except one.

"This is you playing, isn't it?" She realized in a whisper, afraid of ruining this blissful moment.

Simply nodding, Edward continued to serenade her, his lips brushing the soft skin of her temple with their movements. Bella could almost feel him imprinting the words into her psyche as he sang, though she tried not to put too much meaning behind them.

 _He's just singing_ , she told herself as she soaked up the comfort he exuded, the warmth and sense of safety he embodied, and the feeling of being cherished that always emerged when he was near.

Relaxing against Edward, his hard musculature to her soft curves, Bella sighed in utter contentment and closed her eyes. She was shocked to feel a cool tear tumbling from her lashes to roll over her cheek, even more so when she realized that she was, quite possibly, the happiest she'd ever been, at that moment.

Her family was safe; her closest loved ones sleeping a few hundred feet away. Her children were loved, not just by her but also by their grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. For the first time, Marley had a family. She had toys, coloring books, and pencils; more stuffed animals than she knew what to do with, and received more cuddles in a day than most children received in a year. Bodhi had been cherished and adored since the day he was born. He, too, was routinely spoiled with the important things in life – hugs, kisses, and 'I love yous'. That said, he also boasted an impressive stuffed toy collection.

Despite having spent the past twelve years wondering if their dreams would ever come to fruition, Bella and Rosalie were back home with their families and thriving. They were happy, loved, and healthy. They could do the housework if, and when, they wanted to. If they didn't, somebody else would, and there would be no punishments waiting around the corner if that happened. They could move around their homes as they saw fit, and they were both conquering their fear of loud noises and men who closely resembled their tormentor.

Following the news of Smith's death, they'd both had cathartic breakdowns.

Rosalie's had come first, in Emmett's arms – which hadn't shocked Bella in the slightest. Nobody, least of all the ever-observant Bella, had missed the way Emmett and Rosalie seemed to orbit one another since his arrival. They were all waiting for the pair to succumb to their obvious feelings for one another.

Bella's breakdown, or perhaps break-through was more correct, had come during a grocery trip. Edward had taken her and Bodhi to the local Tesco while Marley stayed home with Charlie, Carl-Roman, and Chase. Bella was absent-mindedly scouring the shelves for Marley's new favorite cereal when she'd come to a sudden halt, the tins in the bottom of the trolley clattering with her abrupt stop. Edward was carrying Bodhi a few steps behind and had almost crashed right into her before realizing something was amiss.

 _"_ _Bella? What's the matter?"_

 _"_ _I—I can't…"_

 _Edward glanced around, checking for onlookers and feeling pleased when his cursory look revealed only one other person in the aisle. The elderly woman wasn't in the slightest bit interested in them, so he gently set Bodhi in the trolley seat lined with his padded seat cover to help him stay upright, then took Bella's hands and tried to coax her to meet his eyes._

 _"_ _Bella, look at me, please."_

 _When her gaze met his, he winced at the bewildered, panicked look within their depths._

 _"_ _What's wrong?"_

 _"_ _I can't get that one."_

 _Following the direction of her shaking hand, he frowned at the seemingly innocent looking, box of cereal. "Okay, that's fine. We don't have to get that one."_

 _Growling with frustration, Bella shook her head and grabbed his hands, gripping them hard. "You don't understand. That's_ his _cereal. That's the one_ he _eats."_

 _Suddenly, it made more sense. Edward had been to see Irina several times for therapy sessions of his own. In one of them, she'd warned Edward to be vigilant of triggers that might not be as obvious as some others. Loud footsteps, for example. Everybody knew to remove their shoes and tread lightly in the Swan and Hale homes. Things like this, though…Edward hadn't even considered this scenario when he'd suggested bringing Bella and Bodhi grocery shopping._

 _"_ _Bella, listen to me._ He _doesn't eat anything. He's gone, remember? He's dead. He can't hurt you, and he sure as hell doesn't eat cereal anymore."_

 _Bella blinked owlishly. It took a few seconds, but Edward saw the exact moment she returned to herself; the moment she remembered. "He's dead," she sighed with audible relief._

 _"_ _Yes," Edward reached up with their joined hands and caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "He's gone,_ bella ragazza _. I promise."_

 _She'd trembled lightly for the remainder of the trip around the store, but by the time they arrived back at her house, Bella was almost back to her usual sunny self._

Pulled from her thoughts by a tune she recognized easily, Bella felt a giggle sneak free.

"Take That, Edward?"

Edward shrugged, pulling back only enough so that she could see his lopsided, double-dimpled grin and smiling, grass green eyes. "This is a classic, Bella. Nobody is ever going to persuade me otherwise."

As Gary Barlow's dulcet tones began, Bella raised her eyebrows.

"What? I don't just have the instrumental versions, you know. This is all them."

Bella hummed, finding herself thoroughly enraptured by Edward's eyes as he led her around the fountain, mischief appearing just seconds before he winked and jerked her outwards, murmuring 'spin' at the crescendo of the first chorus. She ducked under his arm and spun back towards him with a rosy flush to her cheeks, unable to help the quiet laugh that pushed its way to freedom. Even though she'd never had dancing lessons and had no idea what she was doing, Bella was very much enjoying herself. It was exhilarating.

No, _Edward_ was exhilarating.

Unbidden, the memory of asking Edward about his conversation with the parking attendant popped into her head. She smiled, staring down at her feet.

 _"_ _Edward?"_

 _"_ _Hm?" Edward glanced away from the newspaper he was reading to find her on the sun lounger across from him, adjusting Bodhi slightly with his free hand. The baby boy had fallen asleep after a busy first morning of swimming, and was sprawled across Edward's chest; it was an adorable sight, and Bella had made sure to document it._

 _"_ _What were you talking about before? Umm, with the parking attendant at the airport?"_

 _Bella was delighted, and even more intrigued, when Edward's ears tinted red, and he coughed quietly to clear his throat._

 _"_ _I don't—ah, I don't remember."_

 _Bella didn't believe that for a second._

 _"_ _You know – when we were loading everything into the vans at the airport. You were both talking in Italian…"_

 _It always warmed Bella to see Edward flustered. Not because she liked to see him uncomfortable, but because it was so rare to see him out of sorts or anything other than cool and confident. So often, she felt like she spent the majority of her time playing catch-up emotionally. It was comforting to know that it wasn't just her struggling with this strange dynamic unfolding between them._

 _"_ _I didn't think anyone was paying attention, if I'm honest," Edward mumbled. A few seconds passed, then he tossed the newspaper at his feet and hung his head over the back of the lounger. "He just commented on Bodhi, and asked how old he was."_

 _Bella frowned. "That's it?"_

 _Sigh. "No. He, uh…he said I must be very proud. I said that I am, of Bodhi and his sister, and Paulo – that's the guy's name – told me it was easy to see how much I love them both."_

 _The pair lapsed into silence; it was broken only by the sounds of Archie, Charlie, Carl-Roman, and Chase splashing in the pool nearby. Bella smiled as the things Edward hadn't said became clear._

 _He hadn't told the attendant that the children weren't his; he'd simply admitted that they made him proud, and that he loved them._

 _Wasn't that what every parent said about their children? He'd have had every right to point out that Marley and Bodhi weren't his, yet he'd chosen not to. Remembering the side-long glances he'd shot her way, Bella couldn't believe that Edward hadn't thought about what he was saying._

 _Her eyes fell to Bodhi as he squirmed, burrowing his head closer to Edward's._

 _"_ _Hey, you're okay, little_ tesoro _," Edward cooed, gently stroking a hand over Bodhi's swim-romper-clad back. Bodhi quieted once more under his soothing touch and rested a tiny fist over Edward's heart as he drifted back off, unaware that he was melting his mother's heart._

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

With her peering up at him, her eyes wide and trusting, that delicious tint of pink infusing her cheeks and a smile curling her lips upwards, Edward couldn't do it. He couldn't say the three little words that he wanted to, and he definitely couldn't lean down to kiss her like he desperately ached to.

She trusted him. And she'd be disgusted if she could hear the thoughts running rampant in his mind. Edward grappled back his want, _no_ , his _need_ , and managed a weak smile, telling her not to worry even as his stomach knotted with the restraint it was taking to stop himself ruining their friendship.

Because that's what he was sure he was about to do, if he didn't rein himself in. Bella was twenty-one, six years his junior, and a mother of two. She was also less than a year out of forced captivity at the hands of a vile excuse for a human being and still recovering from her ordeal. As he spun her again, soaking up the sound of her laughter, Edward reminded himself that the last thing she'd want was to have to deal with some, almost-thirty-year-old in the midst of a premature, midlife crisis pawing at her.

She had children to parent, a life to rediscover. A family to reconnect with.

And Edward, no matter how much he loved her, couldn't interfere with that. She wasn't his to want, and would never want him in return, anyway.

 _No,_ Edward thought, dipping Bella backward just to hear her squeal and make her hold him tighter, _I won't interfere with her life. She's happy – or getting there, at least. I can't mess with that_.

 **~ oOo ~**

Lost in each other as they were, neither Edward nor Bella noticed the eyes on them from an upper floor window. They were completely oblivious to their audience.

"What are you doing up, love?"

Esme turned, facing Carlisle. He was propped up on one elbow in bed, the covers riding down to reveal his chest. Nearing forty-seven, Carlisle was still just as attractive to Esme as he had been the first time they'd met, when she was fifteen, and he was twenty-four. She'd crushed on him – hard. But he'd been her brother's friend; off-limits, or so she thought.

Until her twenty-first birthday party.

He'd come as company for her brother, and in her sloppy drunkenness she'd thrown her inhibitions to the wind and jumped him in front of all her friends and family.

Poor Carlisle hadn't known what to do with himself.

Fast-forward twenty-five years and they're happily married with a beautiful home to call their own, and a life romantic writers could only imagine. Sure, they wished they could have had a family of their own; a brood with Carlisle's blond locks and Esme's hazel eyes. But it wasn't to be, and besides, from the age of eleven, they'd been almost completely responsible for raising their nephew. Carlisle visited Edward in Italy as much as possible, and brought him home to England as often as he could where the young boy was much happier. When he and Esme fell in love and moved in together, they were able to have Edward over more frequently, and by the time he hit his teens he lived almost exclusively with his aunt and uncle. Esme was young – only just twenty – but she'd loved to mother him even though there were only ten years between them. She'd always had the nurturing, mothering instinct and loved Edward to the moon and back. She'd been on the periphery of his life ever since his first few weeks of life as Carlisle babysat for his brother on occasion to earn extra pocket money, and Esme's brother, Brady, sometimes invited them both over. Esme still remembered the first time she'd held Edward in her arms.

 _"_ _They're here, Mum!"_

 _Elizabeth stepped into the doorway, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Go let them in, then, Essy."_

 _Esme darted through the living room, skidding to a stop in the entryway. She was too late, the door already opened. She peered up at the tall frame silhouetted by the summer sun._

 _"_ _Hi, Essy," Carlisle said softly with a slightly crooked grin; Esme's cheeks flamed._

 _"_ _Hi, Carl." She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Did you bring him? Did you bring the baby?"_

 _He chuckled, stepping aside as Brady walked up the garden path carrying a car seat. "I sure did. You want to see him?"_

 _"_ _Yes!"_

 _Both Carlisle and Brady laughed at her wide-eyed excitement. Over the years, they'd both been forced to play mums and dads with Esme. She lived for her baby dolls and had been begging Carlisle to bring his new nephew over ever since his birth. He was three weeks old now, and it was the first time she was getting to see him._

 _"_ _Essy! Let the boys come inside, please!"_

 _Esme shuffled into the living room to stand beside her mother, but she vibrated with excitement as her brother carried the baby inside, setting his car seat on the coffee table beside the changing bag Carlisle had carried._

 _Shooting a wink Esme's way, Carlisle rolled up his hoodie sleeves and set to work unbuckling his nephew. Esme squeaked with excitement when the baby began to squirm and coo at the attention._

 _"_ _Go sit down, Essy," Elizabeth murmured gently, pointing Esme toward the sofa._

 _She shot across the room and threw herself into the seat, keeping her legs perfectly straight and together just like she'd been shown the last time she got to hold a baby; Elizabeth's friend had given birth to twins and loved having Esme over to hold each of them while she fed the other._

 _Carlisle chuckled and turned to face her, cradling the wriggling baby in his large hands. "Are you ready, Essy?"_

 _"_ _Yep! Gimme, gimme, gimme!"_

 _He laughed softly, bending to rest his nephew in Esme's lap. "Hey, you're a natural!"_

 _She beamed at his praise, but didn't look away from the precious bundle in her lap. "He's tiny!"_

 _"_ _He sure is, although he's bigger now than he was when he was born."_

 _Esme cradled his head and neck carefully, reaching up with her free hand to stroke his chubby cheek. "What's his name?"_

 _"_ _Edward."_

 _"_ _Does he have a middle name? Like I'm 'Esme Elizabeth Platt…'"_

 _"_ _His full name is 'Edward Laker Cullen.'" Carlisle shook his head and pulled his phone from his pocket to snap a photo of Esme giggling when Edward turned his head to suckle on the tip of her finger._

 _"_ _Carlisle, he's gorgeous," Elizabeth cooed, joining her daughter to fawn over the sweet, red-headed baby boy. "Why 'Laker?'"_

 _Carlisle huffed. "No idea. Amy likes it."_

 _Elizabeth rolled her eyes with a teasing wink for Esme. "Well, that explains it then!"_

 _"_ _Carl, I think baby Edward is hungry."_

 _A quick glance at the watch on his wrist made Carlisle grin. "I think you're right, Essy. It's lunchtime. Do you want to feed him?"_

 _"_ _Can I?" She breathed, wonder lighting her features._

 _"_ _Sure! Let me just sort his bottle out, and you can get to it."_

 _Esme couldn't drag her eyes away from the sweet baby boy's face. He was staring up at her through wide, green eyes as she stroked her fingers through his tufts of red-brown hair._

 _"_ _He's got a lot of hair, hasn't he?" Elizabeth murmured, smiling at the sight of her daughter so enamored._

 _"_ _Lots," Esme whispered, giggling when Edward kicked his little legs. He was dressed in a soft, cotton check shirt and gray shorts, his wrinkled knees making her smile. "Oh…his feet are so small!"_

 _Even in a pair of dark gray booties, it was obvious that the baby's feet were minuscule._

 _Elizabeth laughed. "All babies have small feet, Essy. He'll grow, don't worry."_

 _"_ _That's right, you will. I'm gonna take care of you, baby Edward. You'll get big and strong, and I'll teach you all kinds of neat stuff. Yes, I will, yes I will."_

 _For the next four hours, Esme hogged Edward. She fed him, stroking his forehead and cheeks as he greedily chugged his bottle._

 _She changed his nappy with Carlisle's guidance and kissed his cheeks until he calmed when he got mad at being undressed._

 _When Carlisle loaded him back into his car seat, fast asleep after his time with Esme, Edward opened his eyes for a brief moment to look at her. She beamed a toothy grin, carelessly brushing a loose lock of caramel hair back behind her ear._

 _"_ _See you soon, baby Edward. I'm gonna look after you, remember."_

When she made that promise, nine-year-old Esme hadn't known just how right she was.

Esme's eyes trailed over her husband's chiseled chest before darting back outside to their aforementioned nephew, embroiled in his tangled love life, which bore a startling resemblance to their own. A large age gap and a previous friendship with an older brother didn't always mean the relationship was doomed to fail; Esme and Carlisle were proof of that.

"Who are you spying on, woman?" Carlisle teased, joining her in the window. He wound his arms around her waist, pressing his chest against her back and resting his chin on her shoulder. When his eyes found Edward and Bella, Carlisle chuckled. "When are they going to give it up and accept that they're perfect for each other?"

Esme sighed. "I really don't know, Carl." Twisting her neck to kiss her husband's cheek, she murmured, "do you think I should speak to him?"

"No, Es. Leave them alone. They'll get there in their own time." He brushed feather-light kisses over her cheek, neck, and collarbone. "Come back to bed and leave them to it."

"Carl—"

"Esme, you promised me that you wouldn't meddle!"

"That was before, when I didn't know that she loved him back!"

Carlisle sighed, his forehead hitting his wife's shoulder gently. "You don't _know_ that, you just think it. Es, promise me that you'll leave them be."

In the years since her marriage, Esme had vowed not to keep secrets or tell her husband lies. That said, on occasion, she'd had to bend the truth to keep him happy. With that in mind, she felt no guilt in crossing her fingers in front of her belly as she whispered her promise to leave Edward and Bella be.

He headed off to the bathroom, leaving her in peace to observe for a few moments longer. She gazed down at her nephew, then at the young woman she'd quickly come to see as a niece, if not a surrogate daughter helping to fill the void left by her being childless. Edward and Bella were perfect for one another, if only they'd both just open their eyes and see what everybody else could see.

As Carlisle reentered their room, beckoning her back to bed, Esme made a vow to herself before her husband could distract her with his wandering hands and kisses.

Whatever it took, however many times she had to break her promise to Carlisle not to meddle, Esme was determined to help Edward and Bella see what she saw. To help them see how perfect they could be together if they'd let go of their fears and open their hearts to the love they held for one another.

 **~ oOo ~**

The night before the girls' birthday the trio piled into Bella's big bed, Bodhi sound asleep in his crib a few feet away, and held each other close. Marley snuggled down in the center, burrowing beneath the duvet just as she always did, while Bella and Rosalie reminisced over birthdays past, their heads close together on the pillows.

When they woke in the morning, it was with smiles on their faces, warmth in their hearts, and an eagerness to start the day that hadn't been present on any of their previous birthdays since 2003.

Having experienced her cousins' birthdays, as well as the birthdays of various other family members and friends, Marley was far more excited for this, her sixth birthday, than any of her previous five. She woke Bella and Rosalie by bouncing in the space between their bodies, finally resorting to prying her aunt's eyes open with her tiny fingertips.

"Aunt Rosalie, wake _up_! It's our birthday!"

Rosalie rubbed at her eyes, unable to be cross with Marley when she'd woken up in such a good mood. "It is, Mars. Happy birthday, sweetpea."

Marley beamed, flashing two rows of sweet, pearly white baby teeth. "Happy birthday, Aunt Rose." She threw herself into Rosalie's arms for a tight hug, then turned her attention to her mother. Her smile wavered slightly when she spotted her mother's tearful face.

Bella had tears tumbling over her cheeks, pausing in the curve of her wide smile before falling from her chin. "Happy tears, baby girl. Happy tears only, today."

Marley bounced into Bella's lap, peppering her wet cheeks with butterfly kisses before cupping her mother's face between her tiny palms and frowning with concentration. "Um, _boo…_ no. _Buon compleanno_ , _Mamma._ I don't know if I said it right. It means 'happy birthday, Mummy.'"

A soft round of applause from the doorway had all three girls turning. Edward grinned widely, leaning casually against the wall in his usual, ankle-crossed pose. He winked at Marley. " _Perfetto_ , little sweet."

Marley sighed, smiling widely once more. "Good! Hey, Edward, it's my birthday! And Mummy's, and Aunt Rose's!"

Opening his arms to Marley, Edward nodded sagely and gave her a tight squeeze, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Only Rosalie saw the way Bella released a long, quiet breath, love for both the people in the doorway swimming in her sea-blue eyes.

" _Buon compleanno_ , little sweet. How do you feel? Do you feel six? Let me check." As if to test how she felt, Edward poked her belly, her cheeks, her nose, and then her feet, tickling her bare toes until she cried 'uncle' through her giggles and wriggled so hard that he was afraid of dropping her.

" _Edward_ ," she growled, out of breath. "You're s'posed to be nice to me!"

"Oh, I see. Well, will you forgive me if I tell you that I've gotten you the biggest birthday cupcake _ever_ , and you can have it for breakfast? Is that being nice enough?"

Bella, Rosalie, and Edward all laughed at the way Marley's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in an adorable, shocked 'O.' He'd already asked Bella if it was okay to give Marley the giant chocolate cupcake he'd had specially made, so he had no worries there. If he was honest, he'd probably admit that he'd planned to give it to her anyway, Bella's potential wrath be damned. He already knew it would be worth it to see Marley's face when she spotted her first ever birthday cake.

"Can I go see? Mummy, can I go with Edward and see?"

"Yeah, baby, you can. Wait for us though, okay? Two seconds, and we'll all go see. Why don't you go to the bathroom first?"

As Marley darted into the bathroom, Edward turned his attention to Bella and Rosalie.

"Happy birthday, ladies. How do _you_ feel? You feel twenty-two?"

Rosalie laughed, swinging her legs over the bed and sliding her feet into her moon-boot slippers. "Definitely feeling my age, Edward, but thank you. And no, I don't need you to check."

Edward chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right, no checking. Got it." He settled his eyes on Bella as she lifted Bodhi from his crib, cooing and pressing kisses to his curl-covered head. "What about you, Bella? Do you need me to check if you feel twenty-two?"

Bella's cheeks flushed as she murmured her 'no, thank you,' and paired it with a bashful smile.

"All right, let's go!" Marley skidded out of the bathroom on sock-clad feet, careening straight into Edward's legs.

Laughing, he swung her up onto his shoulders, reminded her to duck when they approached doorways and led the little procession towards the living area – his preferred, cozy living area, not the large entrance hall at the front of the house. As soon as they stepped through the doors, they were accosted with a rousing rendition of the Happy Birthday song, complete with handfuls of confetti and sparkly streamers being launched at them.

Marley squealed atop Edward's shoulders, squirming to get down to lap up the attention being lavished upon her.

Bella and Rosalie hung back a little, content to watch Marley bask in the glory of her first birthday with her family. Before long, she had an enormous, glittery silver tiara atop her head, and her neck had been adorned with a selection of matching necklaces. She was swept up by all the excitement, only calming enough to ask Edward where he'd hidden her cupcake.

"Ah, one second, little sweet."

When he returned, carrying the largest cupcake Bella, Rosalie, and Marley had ever seen, Marley's eyes widened exponentially. Her smile was enormous as she begged to be allowed a piece, despite it only being seven a.m. With Bella's small nod as permission, Edward cut her a sliver from the back, so that they'd still be able to take photos of it later when Marley could blow out her candles.

"You okay?" Emmett sidled over, looping his arms around Bella's and Rosalie's shoulders.

"Yeah," Rosalie murmured contentedly, eyes moving around the room to take in the 'Birthday Girls' banners – clearly custom made to include all three birthdays – and her family enjoying the festivities. "Do you remember last year?"

Emmett's thick brows drew inward. "Yeah. You were hurt, weren't you?"

This question was directed at Bella. She nodded, just a tiny dip of her head. In her memories, she saw herself limping back to her room from the study, crawling into bed as the sun appeared on the horizon. Rosalie had stayed awake waiting for her, and she'd cried when Bella's first words of the day were spent wishing her a happy birthday. Marley was sleeping soundly between them, eventually waking hours later and asking, with a pointed finger and a worried, silent frown what had happened to Bella's blackened foot.

Of course, Bella hadn't told her the truth; that Garrett had stamped on it in his steel-toe capped boots as punishment for some arbitrary crime he thought she'd committed.

"It's a lot different this year," she said softly, bringing Emmett and Rosalie back to the present. To the smiles, laughter, and love soaking the room.

"Yeah." Emmett gave them both a gentle squeeze, before leading them over to the sofa. With Marley distracted by Edward, the cupcake, and making sure nobody snuck any of the decadent frosting from the top, Charlie and Peter left her in Edward's capable hands, gravitating towards their daughters.

Bella and Rosalie were already crying before the men could even hug them.

"Happy birthday, baby girl."

Bella sniffled into the warmth of her dad's t-shirt clad chest, adjusting Bodhi so that he wouldn't be squashed between them while clutching Charlie tight with her other arm. "Thank you, Dad."

"This is… _Damn_ , it's so surreal," Charlie murmured, pulling back but still holding her gently by her shoulders. He leaned down briefly to tickle Bodhi's cheeks with his scruffy, beard-covered jaw, grinning tearfully at the ensuing giggles, before meeting Bella's gaze once more. "Love you, baby girl."

Laughing despite her emotion-clogged throat, Bella used her free hand to reach up and brush tears from beneath Charlie's eyes, then stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I love you, too, Daddy."

As Charlie wound his arm around Bella and coaxed her over to watch Marley bathe herself in chocolate cake, Peter and Rosalie following close behind, Bella couldn't help but look around and attempt to memorize every little thing about this wonderful moment.

Carlisle teasing Marley with Edward and Carl-Roman threatening to sneak bits of frosting just to hear her laugh and threaten him with tickling. Just a year ago, Marley didn't speak. She refused to say a thing – now, nobody could stop her.

Just on the outside of their little circle, Esme snapped photos of their smiles, capturing moments, which, no doubt, Bella would cry over later. Emmett and Archie were duking over who should get to give Marley her gifts first. They'd bonded, and acted similarly to how Archie and Edward always had – like brothers, instead of friends.

Heidi and Pippa had arrived six days previous, and were right in the thick of things with Archie and Edward, arguing that they should be allowed to give their gifts first as they were younger. Archie pulled them both into his sides for playful noogies, only releasing them when they teamed up to jab their fingers in his sides. Mary and Roy had been unable to come after all, with Roy coming down with a nasty norovirus, but they'd be video calling later in the day.

Then there was Peter, with his arm still wrapped tight around his eldest daughter's shoulders, and Rosalie, smiling wide on her birthday for the first time in over a decade; much like Bella. No doubt she'd soon have her camera out, taking more pictures for her scrapbooks. She was already on her fourth, and Bella had another bound and wrapped waiting with the stack of gifts in the corner.

Charlie couldn't bring himself to let go of Bella just yet, but that was okay. She didn't mind. It had been a long time since he'd been able to give her a birthday hug. If he held onto her all day to make up for the lost time, it still wouldn't be long enough.

Chase babbled away in his highchair, his volume increasing tenfold when Bella strapped Bodhi into his chair beside him, the two boys bouncing off one another's energy, as usual.

Sighing, Bella leaned into Charlie's side, her eyes finding Edward as they so often did. He was chuckling and leaning in to tickle Marley. Their matching smiles were wide and so, so perfect that Bella almost couldn't look.

 _This_ , this was what she'd missed most. This was what Bella had desperately ached for – laughter and light and _life_.

Marley turned, beckoning her mother over with a pleading pout while yelling instructions to, "try the fostin'!"

Bella smiled to herself, content and happy in the knowledge that this was just the first of many joyous occasions to come.

* * *

 **SunflowerFran runs an amazing, supportive page over on Facebook and a great new intitiative is starting over there!**

 **"Thinking about taking the plunge into writing? Pay It Forward would like to try something new...**

 **We would like to showcase a new writer...a newbie, each month and help them find their voice.** **We would get you started, make you feel comfortable with your story, show you the ropes, and then showcase you here when you are ready.**

 **Cold feet? We'll warm them.**

 **Afraid to take the plunge? We have a life preserver.**

 **No excuses, just do it."**

 **If you've been toying with the idea of posting your first story, now is your chance to have the support of all the great ladies in the group. Don't let anything hold you back! If you're interested, PM either Frannie Walsh/SunflowerFran or myself, and we'll help get you started!**


	34. Chapter Thirty-Two

**Early update! Yay!**

 **Wow! 41 reviews on that last chapter!  
** **You all blow me away with your love for these characters  
** **and their little world, each and every time. When I started  
** **out with this, I never could have envisaged such a wonderful  
reaction, or that I'd make such amazing friends.**

 **I'll keep this short and sweet and put my main messages  
at the bottom instead. I know you're all waiting  
to see what happens, especially those of you who received  
the teaser... ;)**

 **I'm fairly certain this is the chapter you've been  
** **waiting for!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two**

 _Knock knock_.

Bella hissed out a breath through her teeth, stepping into her white ballet flats and calling out, "come in!"

 _He's early!_

"Sorry, I know I'm early. A certain young lady has been pestering me to come and get you for almost a half hour."

Bella allowed herself a chance to take in Edward's outfit while he had his eyes covered – a pair of pressed, cream cargo shorts, a khaki, short-sleeve shirt, and the things that pulled a giggle from her belly: a pair of brown leather boat shoes.

"Boat shoes, Edward?" She asked, adding, "you can uncover your eyes."

When he did so, a chuckle burst from his lips. "We match!"

Looking down at herself, Bella nodded. "Did Marley happen to help you pick your shirt, by any chance?" The khaki color of Edward's shirt almost perfectly matched the color of her off-the-shoulder dress, though the crochet trim of her dress was white, not khaki like the rest of the chiffon material.

Edward nodded sheepishly, reaching up to rearrange his hair. It was a riotous mess, still slightly wet from his shower a short while ago. "She insisted I wear this one. _And_ the boat shoes. Apparently, they're 'handsome.'"

Making a note to have words with her meddlesome daughter, Bella quickly checked the bed to make sure she had everything – phone, Bodhi's binky, Marley's hair tie…

"You need this?"

Edward was holding up her white crochet cardigan. Bella sighed, nodded, and crossed the room to take it from him.

"Ah! Let me."

Flushing pink in the face, Bella turned when he nodded for her to do so, sliding her arms into the fabric as he held it up. "Thank you," she murmured.

"No problem. You look… _bellissima_."

Bella was saved from having to respond – not that she knew how to respond to such a compliment, even one in Italian – by the wailing of her daughter as she clattered down the hall, feet slapping on the tiles.

" _Muuuummmyyyyyy!_ "

"I think our time is up, _bella ragazza_ ," Edward chuckled, reaching up to brush a lock of her hair away from her face. Bella sighed, leaning into his hand for just a second before Marley crashed into the room, huffing and puffing, her hair a wild, curly mess, cheeks infused with a rosy glow.

"Come _on_ , Mummy! You, too, Edward! Pawpaw says he's gonna eat your bits of cake if you don't hurry!"

"Well! We wouldn't want that, would we?" Edward huffed, lifting Marley to his hip and pressing a quick kiss to the tip of her button nose. "Let's go fight Pawpaw for our cake, _si_?"

Marley beamed all pearly white baby teeth and sparkling azure eyes. " _Si,_ Edward! And you also, Mummy!"

Grabbing the essentials from the bed, Bella followed Edward and Marley through the house toward the patio, where everyone had planned to gather before they all headed to the pool for an epic pool party and barbecue. She was surprised when Edward continued through the kitchen instead, looking back over his shoulder.

"I sent them ahead. I thought we could take a detour through the rose garden."

Bella's body warmed at the mention of the rose garden. She hadn't been back since the night they'd danced into the early hours. "Ooh, a rose garden! I love roses!" Marley declared with all the excitement of a six-year-old. She turned, peering over Edward's shoulder. "Mummy, what's a rose?"

Laughing lightly, Bella nodded and pointed forward, "why don't you take a look, baby girl? There are lots right there."

As they stepped out into the walkway beneath the roses, Bella felt herself welling up. She could clearly picture herself and Edward dancing around the fountain up ahead; she was able to remember Edward's soft voice serenading her with picture-perfect clarity. Marley ooh'd and aah'd appropriately, flushing scarlet when Edward lifted her easily by the waist to let her pluck a rose from the arch above her head.

He grinned crookedly, quickly breaking the thorns from the stem to tuck it behind Marley's ear. "There. _Perfetto_."

Edward couldn't help but remember a much different Marley with a flower tucked behind her ear. A silent, sad little girl who'd been afraid to stand on her own two feet.

 _Edward grinned when he spied Marley. She was on folded knees in front of the portable DVD player an agent had found hidden away, but her eyes were on the doorway, then him when he appeared. Her eyes brightened, and her lips moved into a small, hesitant smile. A hopeful smile. She looked so sweet, so innocent, with a single red tulip tucked behind her ear. One of the agents had brought a bunch to the house to brighten it up at Riley's request, and Marley had silently giggled behinds her hands when Edward plucked one from the vase to settle it at the side of her head._

" _Yeah, little sweet, I'm here to get you. Are you done watching Spongebob?"_

 _She nodded, looking forlornly at the repeating main menu. Ah, so the DVD had ended._

" _All right, well, I've got some people who'll probably want to see you. C'mon."_

 _Only once he'd opened his arms to her and given her permission to move did Marley scramble to her feet, rushing across the floor to wrap her arm around his leg, peering up pleadingly. He knew exactly what for, too._

" _Oh, all right. You know you just kill me with those big 'ole eyes, don't you?"_

 _Marley's smile widened further, a flash of white teeth between her rosebud lips. He hadn't been able to deny her one single thing, and he didn't start now. Edward lifted her small weight easily up onto his hip, holding her there and brushing a wayward curl back from her face. He'd managed to brush it and pull it back into a messy ponytail, at least._

They both turned toward Bella at the sound of a camera.

She grinned unabashedly from behind her phone. "Smile, you two."

Edward and Marley plastered matching smiles on their faces and leaned their heads together. The resulting image on Bella's screen made her heart sputter before taking off at a gallop.

By the time the trio met up with the rest of the group, Bella was more than ready for a cool glass of water to soothe her overheated cheeks, and to temper the warmth overtaking her body at the sight of Edward's and Marley's obvious adoration for one another.

Stepping out from the short walkway joining the rose garden to the pool area, Bella smiled and paused to take it all in.

The men – Charlie, Peter, Archie, Edward, Carlisle, and Emmett – had all disappeared earlier in the day for a short while, citing 'things to do' as their excuse. Suddenly, it was obvious just what those 'things' were. They'd draped hundreds, _no_ , thousands of fairy lights from the trees surrounding the pool, creating a canopy of twinkling lights above the water that would only get more beautiful as it grew darker. Three tables had been set up; one for gifts, one for food, and one long picnic bench where everybody could eat.

The pool was lit from within by spotlights, so the inflatables floating on the surface seemed to glow as they bobbed. Bella couldn't tell where it was coming from, but soft piano music played quietly. As Esme made her way over, Bodhi cooing in her arms, Bella wondered if it was Edward playing.

"You look beautiful, Bella," Esme murmured with a smile, handing Bodhi over. He'd been dressed in the outfit Bella had picked out earlier – a pair of blue shorts with soft, matching braces attached, and a white, short-sleeve shirt decorated with tiny sailboats. Unable to deny herself the opportunity to hear Bodhi's belly chuckles, Bella tickled his feet, warm and ensconced in a pair of cotton, baby blue socks.

Bella flushed and peppered kisses over Bodhi's face to hide the flaming of her cheeks. "Thank you, Esme. You do, too."

In a navy ruffle dress decorated with pretty flowers, Esme looked younger than her thirty-six years. Her hair had been curled and pinned back; half-up, half-down, and she'd forgone make-up in lieu of sporting the natural look she preferred. As Carl-Roman distracted her, Bella admired Esme's easy beauty and grace, hoping to one day be able to hold herself with the same poise and good nature.

And she hoped to one day be as happy as Esme was with Carlisle. He wandered over after Carl-Roman, reminding the little boy to be careful with the lump of cupcake in his hands, before planting a soft kiss on his wife's cheek and joining the men gathered next to the fire pit. On his way past Bella, he paused with a wide grin.

"Bella, you look lovely. Happy birthday."

"Carlisle, you already wished me a happy birthday this morning," she reminded him gently, tilting her cheek when he leaned in.

Chuckling as he pulled back, Carlisle winked. "I have twelve to make up for, so I intend to catch up."

Swallowing through a suddenly thick throat, Bella nodded, holding Bodhi close to her chest.

Everybody seemed to be sharing the same sentiment, all wanting to make up for lost years with Bella and Rosalie – and Marley, of course. She'd lost count of the gifts she'd opened earlier in the day. As for Marley…well, she had more toys than she knew what to do with. Bella had voiced her concerns about shipping them all home, but Edward had brushed off her worries with a promise to sort it all out.

Speaking of the devil…

"Come on, Bella, little sweet wants to show you your cake," Edward told her, jostling Marley on his hip. She giggled sweetly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, c'mon, Mummy! It's _so_ pretty!"

Following dutifully, the little quartet didn't notice the multiple sets of eyes on them, nor did they notice the quiet clicks of Rosalie's camera as she captured the moment Bella spotted her cake. She gazed down at her screen, Emmett coming to peer over her shoulder.

Edward was still holding Marley, though his free hand had come to rest at the small of Bella's back, and Bodhi had been shifted to Bella's side, so all four of them were visible in the shot, despite Rosalie having taken it from behind. They were lit from above by the fairy lights and by the dwindling light of the sunset on the horizon, painting the sky in glorious oranges and golds. Marley and Bodhi were each facing inward with smiles on their faces towards Edward and Bella, who were staring into each other's eyes.

"Have they admitted that they love each other, yet?" Emmett whispered conspiratorially.

Rosalie snorted, trying to ignore the way her skin tingled all over from Emmett's proximity. It was undeniable that, during the two weeks in Rome, their bond had grown stronger. They'd spent virtually every second together, and Rosalie couldn't fathom a scenario in which that would end. He'd grown close to her loved ones and quickly become a part of the large, mish-mashed family she adored. Her eyes routinely found him, if he wasn't right beside her, and just yesterday, she'd finally accepted what her mind already knew, but her heart hadn't.

She loved him.

With all of her heart and soul, Rosalie loved Emmett, and she was struggling to hide it.

Like at this moment, she fought valiantly to keep her hands on the camera to stop them from reaching back to feel the strands of his scruffy, dark blonde hair between her fingers. Rosalie repeated the same litany over and over in her mind, willing herself not to lean back into the warmth she could feel emanating from his body. Her heart raced, thumping a rapid tattoo as she inhaled a deep breath and shuddered at the wisps of his aftershave riding the air into her lungs.

"N-no," she finally sputtered. "I think they're still in denial. Esme has a plan, though."

Emmett chuckled; Rosalie smiled despite herself and turned her face. Just a few more inches and she'd be touching him. Their cheeks would be pressed together. His lips…they'd be so, _so_ close.

"A plan, huh? Do you happen to know what this plan entails?"

"Something about a kick in the butt and a special gift? I think that's what she said. I don't know, you know how Esme is."

Cropping the photo on the camera slightly, to make the frame of the trees and fairy lights symmetrical, Rosalie saved it and tucked her camera back into the bag hanging over her shoulder, turning to face Emmett. She purposefully left a little space between them, wondering if he'd notice.

Gazing up into his eyes, she briefly considered just… _saying it_. Just saying those three little words that had been hovering on the tip of her tongue since she'd realized how true they were. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips. It didn't escape her notice that Emmett's eyes flickered down to the movement before quickly returning to her eyes, their soft, gray-blue shade darkening just slightly.

"Rosie, I—" He began in a husky timbre. But it wasn't to be.

"Aunt Rosalie! Uncle Emmy! C'mon, it's time for ca-ake!" Marley sang – well, it was more like a yell, actually.

Regardless, everybody heard. And nobody could deny her. Especially not on her birthday.

Emmett sighed, his lips curling up in a sort of amused, but somehow sad, smile. "Come on then, Missy. Let's go make some wishes, huh?" He reached up, gently sweeping the pad of his thumb over her jaw. Her lips parted a fraction, a soft puff of air brushing Emmett's skin as he pulled his hand away.

"I, umm…Emmett, I've got something to te—"

"Aunt Rose! Uncle Em! Why're you bein' slow?"

"Marley Rosalie Swan, mind your manners!"

"Uh, sorry, Mummy."

"Come on, let's go."

As Emmett took Rosalie's hand, she sighed softly and followed him over to join the rest of the group. Everybody had gathered around the three cakes. The trio of giant cupcakes were identical, except for their colors and flavors. Marley's was chocolate, Bella's strawberry, and Rosalie's blueberry, but they were all impeccably decorated with frosting and hundreds of tiny, silver flowers.

"All right girls, gather round," Charlie said good-naturedly, brandishing a match ready to be lit. "You three – if you stand to that side, we'll take a photo from here, okay?"

Rosalie handed her camera to Peter, then moved around the table with Bella, Marley, and Bodhi, still in his mother's arms.

"Do you want me to pick you up, Mars?"

Marley frowned, looking around. When she spotted Edward, she grinned. "Edward, please can _you_ hold me? And Uncle Emmy, you should come stand next to Aunt Rosalie!"

"Uh, Little Missy, I don't know—" Floundering, Emmett tugged at his hair, looking thoroughly embarrassed when Edward clapped him on the shoulder with a grin and told him to get moving. Charlie's and Peter's eyes held more than a hint of suspicion as they watched Edward scoop Marley into his arms and Emmett stand beside Rosalie, his hand moving to rest at the small of her back.

"All right, let's do it, Pawpaw!" All emotion but joy was wiped from Charlie's face as he refocused on Marley, getting ready to light the three single candles – one for each cake.

"Okay, is everybody ready?"

A chorus of 'yeses' rang out, so Charlie huffed a deep breath, tears in his eyes, and quickly lit the trio of white candles as the group began to sing.

" _Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Bella, Rosalie, and Marley_ …"

Giggles and laughter halted the song for a moment as they tried to squash the three names into the single beat, then they continued, love infusing their words as Peter snapped photos of the girls – and Emmett, Edward, and Bodhi – sharing smiles.

"You know what comes next, Mars?" Charlie asked once they'd finished singing.

She giggled with glee. "Cheers, Pawpaw!"

"That's right, baby girl. Cheers. Hip hip…"

The group gave the girls three cheers, then one for luck, Marley all but bouncing clean out of Edward's arms by the time he whispered that she could blow her candles out now.

Bella and Rosalie leaned forward with Marley, sharing a long, tearful look before turning back to their cakes and meeting the eyes of their respective dads as they blew out their candles for the first time in more than a decade.

 **~ oOo ~**

On days such as this, Charlie found himself struggling to contain his sheer happiness and contentment at having his daughter, and subsequently his niece, granddaughter, and grandson, back in his life. As he stood by the fire pit, cold beer in hand, under the soft glow of the fairy lights he'd helped to string over the garden, listening to the warm laughter of his family surrounding him, Charlie couldn't imagine a happier moment.

At the sound of Marley's giggles, he turned, grinning when he spotted her.

"Edward, spin me!"

Edward chuckled, holding her hands and swinging her around in wide circles, mindful not to hit anybody with her feet. Her laughter was like music, the soft fabric of her dress fanned out in a pretty, pink wave as she flew through the air. "Enough, little sweet?"

"Yeah," she panted, beaming up at him.

Abruptly, Charlie felt a pang in his gut. He'd seen that look. He'd seen that face, replicated almost exactly, though it was some fifteen years earlier, and _he_ had been the recipient of the enormous, toothy smile.

It had been Charlie and _his_ baby girl, his sweet little Bella.

Not for the first time, he wondered about his precious granddaughter's tender heart, and whether it would cope if Edward were to decide he wanted to return to Italy permanently. As a father of two, and now Pawpaw to four, he recognized the look on Marley's face whenever she looked at Edward – which was often. He'd witnessed the depth of her idolization and had seen the way he doted on her in return.

It was the same way Bella had looked at him, once upon a time.

Charlie had watched as Marley became increasingly dependent upon Edward, starting back in Montana when he'd been the one she sought out for comfort and continuing even now that she was home with the rest of her family, with a multitude of people to choose from.

Still, almost always without fail, she chose Edward.

A small part of Charlie could recognize his own jealousy. After missing out on his only granddaughter's first, five years of life, he wanted to be able to comfort her now. He wanted to be the strong protector for her that he'd been for Bella before her abduction. Sometimes, she let him be that for her, but more often than not, it was Edward she wanted.

Charlie watched Bella cross the patio, using a baby wipe to clean something from Marley's cheek. Presumably chocolate cake, as she'd been sneaking over to the food table frequently throughout the evening. Just a half hour ago, Charlie had chuckled at Marley as she sat on his lap with a big smile ringed with chocolate 'fostin,' as she called it.

"Edward, dance with Mummy, now!"

Much like everybody else, Bella couldn't refuse such a request from her daughter, so Charlie soon found himself watching Edward sweep Bella around the patio in a slow dance. The music playing was instrumental; soft, lilting, and sweet. Charlie huffed, taking a gulp of his beer.

It wasn't just Marley who'd become unexpectedly attached to Edward. He'd be a fool to think otherwise. Especially with the proof swaying in front of him. Charlie liked to think of himself as an observant man. That said, there were some things he wished he didn't have to observe.

With his daughter and granddaughter irrevocably attached to Edward, Charlie couldn't help but feel helpless – a feeling he abhorred. More and more, he feared losing his girls. Not to an unknown entity this time, but to a man he saw as a second son. He'd just gotten them back, but now, with every passing day, he watched their bond with Edward grow. And he wondered on a daily basis just how much that would affect his own link with them.

"They're not going anywhere, you know? You aren't going to lose them, Chuck."

Charlie took another swig of his beer, shrugging as Peter hit the nail on the head. His thoughts, clearly, had been written all over his face. "You'll be telling me that you haven't thought the exact same thing about Rosalie and Emmett, next."

Peter followed Charlie's gaze in time to see Emmett gently tugging Rosalie toward Edward and Bella. She had a huge smile on her face and was giggling like he'd never heard her giggle before. Though she was acting reluctant, she soon settled into Emmett's arms, handing over her camera for Marley to take photos – after extracting a promise from the six-year-old that she'd stay sitting in her seat and would keep the camera strap around her wrist. Yeah, everybody had noticed Bella and Edward's bond. But they'd also seen Rosalie's and Emmett's.

"Hmph."

Charlie chuckled at his friend, reaching out to rest his arm around Peter's shoulders. "You know what, though? Don't they look happy?"

Peter sighed, letting himself observe his daughter as objectively as possible. And yes, Rosalie did look happy. Exceptionally so. Happier, in fact, than he'd seen her look in a long, long time. The music picked up, Edward and Emmett taking great delight in attempting to steer Bella and Rosalie in slightly more complicated moves.

The girls managed to escape when the song changed, and Emmett turned to tease Edward about his playlist. They swiped Marley from her seat, joining Esme on the loungers beside the pool. She was feeding Bodhi, but he whined and reached for Bella, so Esme happily handed him over. Charlie grinned as he watched Bella with Bodhi, bending to kiss Marley's head as they crammed themselves onto one lounger, Rosalie and Esme each having their own. Despite her rocky start, and young age, Bella was a natural with both of her babies.

Charlie couldn't be prouder.

His smile faltered only a little when he saw where Bella's eyes moved once she'd settled Bodhi against her chest, Marley between her legs.

Edward.

A quick glance at Rosalie revealed her attention was on Emmett. Peter had also noticed, judging by his narrowed gaze.

"Should we be letting this happen?" Peter asked quietly after a few moments of reflection.

Charlie shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know. But to be honest with you, as much as I hate the thought of my baby girl not needing me I hate the idea of pushing her away by making an issue of _this_ , even more. Besides, those boys have their heads screwed on tight. They know better than to fuck up with our girls."

Resigned, Peter chugged the last of his beer and set the empty bottle down on the glass table nearby. The sound pulled the girls' attention in their direction; the men offered their daughters smiles, hoping they wouldn't see the concern on their faces and come over. Thankfully, Bella and Rosalie were distracted enough by the children and Esme to stay put for the moment.

"Hey, Chuck?"

"Yeah, Pete?"

"So, Edward and Emmett…they're good kids, and they'll take care of our girls if that's what Bella and Rose choose, I know, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun messing with them first, right?"

Charlie and Peter shared wide smiles. "Of course not! Damn, man, Penny and T wouldn't expect anything less, right? They'd want us to make these guys sweat like hell. If we have to suffer through our girls potentially dating, they can at least suffer for a bit, too."

Rubbing their hands together with glee, Charlie and Peter accepted the fact that they had no control over who the girls loved, and made plans to make Edward and Emmett work for their trust.

After all, they had to prove themselves worthy of their precious girls.

So what if Charlie and Peter planned to have a little fun in the meantime?

 **~ oOo ~**

Later, once the blanket of darkness had tucked them into its welcome folds, the entire group settled around the fire pit. They sprawled out on blankets, in picnic chairs, and on folded duvets Edward fetched from inside the house. Marley and Carl-Roman were seriously losing steam at this point, and Bodhi had long since fallen asleep on Bella's chest, Chase fast asleep on Archie's lap, but nobody wanted to send them indoors to bed. Not yet. Not when they were enjoying themselves so much and their smiles were still coming thick and fast.

Charlie and Peter had claimed the two camping chairs, citing their age. Heidi and Pippa had claimed one blanket, Esme, and Carlisle the other. Archie, Chase, Carl-Roman, and Marley were clustered on one duvet, leaving the last one for Emmett, Edward, Bella, and Rosalie to share.

Bella and Rosalie quietly talked together until Emmett groaned behind them, stretching one long leg out beside Rosalie. Her eyes darted instinctively to his foot as it passed her, then his ankle. The fabric of his lightweight linen trousers rode up, exposing the beginning of the scarred section of his leg. She winced, eyes flying to Bella's. They'd both been distraught when Emmett first revealed his long-healed wounds to them.

They'd both had long, guilt-ridden sessions with Irina the following day.

"Mummy, can I come sit with you?"

Bella looked to Marley, watching her crawl across the grass toward her. She already had Bodhi lying across her so it would be a very tight squeeze, and not at all comfortable for any of them, if Marley squashed herself onto her lap, too. Edward saved her the trouble of having to say this, though.

"Little sweet, will you come sit with me? I haven't had a cuddle _all_ evening!"

Bella twisted enough so she could see the mock outrage on Edward's face without waking Bodhi, smiling as Marley giggled tiredly and scampered into his lap, curling herself against his chest. Her lips turned upwards further when her daughter stuck her thumb firmly in her mouth. She only did it occasionally, but she and Bodhi were both thumb suckers when they were over-tired.

"Thank you," Bella mouthed to Edward, her cheeks flushing at his response – a wink and a crooked, dimpled smile as he resumed his conversation with Emmett.

When Bella turned back to Rosalie, she was met with the soft _click_ of her camera.

"What—?"

"He looks so content. I couldn't _not_ take a photo," Rosalie shrugged, nodding towards Bodhi. He was fast asleep resting against Bella's chest, his face turned toward Rosalie, little hand clutching the handle of his beloved binky as he sucked it quietly.

It _was_ an adorable sight. And Rosalie _had_ taken a photo of the sleeping baby boy.

However, Bella didn't need to know that Rosalie had also snapped a photo of her, gazing back at Edward with Marley, the look of love plain as day on her face.

" _No, little sweet. It's a bit late, now._ "

" _But, Edward! You gotta do it today!"_

Edward and Marley's whispers distracted Bella from Rosalie and the camera. She twisted to face them again. "What's going on?"

Sheepishly, Edward hung his head for a second before meeting Bella's gaze. "Marley wants me to give you my gift now."

"But you already gave me a gift," Bella frowned.

"I have one more. I was going to save it for tomorrow, but little sweet here thinks you need it today." He leaned down, gently knocking his forehead against Marley's.

She giggled, sitting upright and patting his cheek. "C'mon, don't you wanna make her smile?"

"Always," Edward huffed, stiffening slightly when he realized that he'd said it aloud. "All right, you win, little sweet. Wait here, please," he said, looking at Bella.

She nodded, lips curling upwards at Marley's triumphant cheer. Edward carried Marley toward the house, and Bella watched his back until he disappeared around the corner.

"Okay, does anybody else know what that was all about?" Rosalie asked, laughing softly. Bella looked around at everybody, seeing the smiles on all of their faces tinged with curiosity.

"I have no idea," Esme admitted, holding her hands up in surrender when Carlisle turned to her. "He told me he was planning something, but he didn't say what."

"Hmm," Heidi hummed, grinning. "I bet it's a puppy. Marley's been begging for one ever since she met Bonnie at Jasper and Alice's."

"Where would he have hidden it?" Pippa countered.

"No, no, I bet it's a—"

"Hey, are you guys guessing? What's wrong with you? It's supposed to be a surprise!" Edward called over his shoulder, huffing as he dragged something around the corner. Laughter rang out when it came into view.

"You bought her a piano?" Archie chuckled. "You know, the charm version is probably all right, considering how musically challenged she is."

Bella stuck her tongue out at her brother's teasing, blinking in surprise at the ensuing flash that went off almost directly in her face. "Dad…what the—?"

"What?" Charlie shrugged, stowing his phone. "I've missed seeing you two tease each other."

"Oh," Bella mouthed, refocusing on Edward as he stopped the piano a few feet away, lifting Marley down from her perch upon the lid over the keys.

"Well, I know I got you the piano charm," Edward began, eyes darting down toward Bella's bracelet. She ran the thumb of her other hand over the charm, smiling. "But my little sweet helped me with your other gift, and apparently, it's imperative you get it today."

"Edward, you didn't have to—"

"Hush, Mummy. You gotta listen to Edward's present," Marley told her gently, patting her on the head before skipping over to drag a chair to the piano. "Here, Edward. You can sit here, and I'll sit on your lap."

"All right," Edward laughed. "C'mon then, hop on." Bella sighed girlishly as Edward sat, then lifted Marley easily into his lap with just his hands on her waist. Marley settled, raising the key lid and smiling up at Edward as her fingers rested upon the ivories.

"Edward, can I help? Like when we practiced?"

Bella wasn't the only one swooning when Edward pressed a kiss to Marley's forehead, resting his hands on the keys on either side of hers so she could place her much smaller hands on top of them.

"All right, is everybody ready?"

Bella smiled, shocked to see more than a hint of apprehension in Edward's tiny, crooked smile.

"Get on with it, then!" Archie called, winking at Bella when she turned to shoot him a glare.

"Okay," Edward breathed, inhaling one last, long, deep breath before he began to play.

And it was beyond wonderful.

Bella was entranced, from the first note to the last.

Edward sang. Marley did, too, though she joined in intermittently when she could remember the words. Bella forgot all about her family gathered around them, and saw only Edward and Marley, cocooned in their own little bubble. Their hands moved together, effortlessly in sync, and Edward's rich, warm voice cradled Marley's soft, sweet cadence.

It was a song she'd never heard before. Edward sang of friendship, windows to the soul, angelic curls, and a love lost to life. His voice caressed the words with so much tenderness that Bella almost couldn't bear it. Her heart raced, hand subconsciously lifting to press against her chest to feel its pounding rhythm. She sucked in a deep breath, brows furrowing inward when Edward's eyes danced over as he sang about reconnecting, finding things you hadn't known you were missing, and discovering real love.

When the song finished, there was only silence.

Esme was the first to break it. She stood, crossing the patio to throw her arms around her nephew's shoulders, resting her face against his shoulder. "Edward, that was…" She sniffled, pulling back to cup his face. "That was so beautiful, sweetheart."

His smile in return was bashful, his ears tinting pink. "Thanks, Es."

Bella could only watch in a stunned stupor as, one by one, everybody told Edward how amazing the song had been, how talented he was. Of course, Marley wanted the same recognition and received it in spades once she'd reminded everybody that she'd played, too.

Noticing Bella's wide-eyed, rosy-cheeked expression, Rosalie carefully took Bodhi from her arms and motioned for the others to give Edward and Bella a moment.

Watching everybody moving around the corner and out of sight, Edward sighed, lifting himself from the chair to join Bella on the duvet on the patio.

When he'd originally sat down, planning to teach Marley a few simple tunes, Edward had been struck with the need to write, to compose. His love for music had waned with his distraction in recent months. Before that, even. It had been over a year since he worked on new material. He had the frustrated emails and voicemails from his agents and followers of his _Youtube_ channel to prove it.

However, that day, a week ago exactly, it had been all he could think about.

Edward had stayed up late into the night, tweaking, creating, and pouring all of his pent-up emotions into the keys. He'd eventually been left with this, the song he'd decided to gift to Bella. Having been practicing and messing around with it for a week now, he knew it by memory. The words had imprinted themselves on his heart, their very meaning interwoven with the threads of his being.

It was him. The song was Edward, and it was Bella, and this messy situation that had brought her home so that he could fall for her and discover the true love other artists sang of, that painters painted, and authors wrote about.

The fairy lights overhead caught on a tear rolling over Bella's cheek. Edward reached up, gently wiping it away with the pad of his thumb. He left his hand there, cupping the side of her face gently. She leaned into his touch with an almost inaudible hum. It made him smile.

"Happy birthday, _bella ragazza_ ," Edward murmured softly, his voice made husky by the tumultuous mess of emotion swelling within him.

"Edward, that was…I don't even have words. You…you wrote that, didn't you?"

Feeling the tips of his ears flaming, Edward ducked his head a little, nodding.

"Please don't hide, I…Edward, _thank you_. That was beyond incredible."

An unexpected bolt of bravery shot through Edward's veins, a quote from a movie he'd watched with Marley popping into his head.

" _You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it._ "

Sucking in a deep breath, Edward held it and looked up at Bella, just taking her in.

The lights above cast a glossy sheen on her chocolate locks, piled atop her head in a messy bun. They lit her beautiful azure eyes from within, their shine and guilelessness entrancing. Her cheeks held a rosy tint, a small smile playing on her lips. Weeks of spending time outdoors had turned her previously, snow-white complexion to a soft, honeyed tan, lending her a healthier look. She'd also filled out a lot since the first time Edward saw her after her abduction, sitting on the floor of that smoke-filled bathroom back in Montana.

They were a million miles from that moment, both figuratively and literally. They'd both come so far, both grown so much.

His hand moved of its own accord, shifting down to gently hold her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He ran the tip of his thumb over her lower lip, unable to hold back his tremulous grin when, as he let go, she immediately pulled it between her teeth.

"Marley does that, too," he whispered, eyes following his hand as he slowly smoothed it down, over her neck, to tickle the soft skin in the juncture between neck and shoulder.

Electricity crackled in the space between their bodies. Edward wondered if she felt it too, a shiver rippling through his body as he let his hand fall away from her, resting beside its twin on his bent knees.

His eyes flicked back up to Bella's, finding confusion and worry within her gaze. It was the trust lurking in the back that made him pause. She trusted him. For whatever reason, she always had. Would she ever forgive him if he broke that trust now with his inability to let her be?

His inability to stop loving her?

 _All right, Ed, this is it. Twenty seconds of insane bravery. 20...19…_

"Bella, my sweet _bella ragazza,_ I need to tell you something, but I…"

 _16...15…_

"I don't want you to feel like you have to say anything back, okay? No pressure. None at all. I just want you to know, because, well—"

 _11...10…_

"I can't hold it in anymore; you probably already know, or guessed, or the others have at least. And Marley… she's all over it, little smarty-pants."

Frowning, Bella listened to Edward's rambling in silence, eyes darting between his eyes and mouth as he spoke.

 _6...5…_

"I don't even really know when it happened, just that it has, and I'm so tired of not being able to just, _say it._ "

 _2...1…_

" _All right, Ed. Twenty seconds are up. Here goes,_ " Edward mumbled to himself before meeting Bella's eyes again, cupping her face between his large, gentle hands, and huffing.

Whatever happened now, whatever she said or didn't say, Edward couldn't keep it in any longer. He had to risk it, had to try.

And maybe, just maybe, Benjamin Mee would be right. Maybe Edward's twenty seconds of insane courage would result in something great.

"Bella…

I love you."

* * *

 **So... Yeah. That happened! _Finally!_**

 **As always, huuuuge thank yous need to be said to** annaharding **and** SunflowerFran. **They make my messes pretty and deserve far more than a mention in my A/N, but until cyber hugs are possible, this will have to suffice. I love you both!**

 **As you may have guessed, this is winding down now. There are 37 chapters written so just five more regular chapters after this one, then a possible epilogue. I'm a wreck about it, I won't lie - these characters are like family, and I'll miss them - and you! - terribly. As it's all written, I'll most likely just post each chapter as and when they're ready :)**

 **Also, quick reminder - SunflowerFran is running a new feature over on her Facebook page, Pay It Forward. If you're a new writer nervous about posting and would like to be one of her featured writers, please feel free to PM me or Fran and we'll help you get started. You'll get all the wonderful support of the group, which has proven invaluable to me with my maiden fic.**

 **Have a great weekend, guys! xo**


	35. Chapter Thirty-Three

**So, here it is, as promised.  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **worked their  
magic super quickly this week, so you get an early  
update! :) Thank you, ladies!**

 **Lots of sugar and sun in this chapter - no heavy drama  
** **for a change.**

 **I have a feeling a few of you will be mad with me in  
about thirty seconds, but please, bear with me and  
check the A/N at the bottom! All will be explained.**

 **Thank you all for your wonderful reviews on the last  
chapter! I didn't get around to responding to all of  
them because my phone died and was in for repair,  
and I usually respond on the bus to and from work.  
The 'S' key on my laptop also died, so typing is a massive  
effort and I'm suddenly realizing how many 'S's there are  
in normal conversation!**

 **Anyway...you're not interested in me... ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-Three**

As the words fell from his lips, wrapping around Bella like a warm, but unfamiliar, blanket, the brightest smile spread across Edward's face. His lips curled upward, twin dimples appearing as he exhaled heavily.

"It feels so good to finally say it. I've felt it, _known it_ , for so long. You don't have to say anything though, okay? Nothing at all. I just wanted you to know. I don't know, maybe that's selfish, but I couldn't hold it in anymore."

It felt like an eternity passed before Bella gave any indication that she'd actually heard him.

Finally, as Edward's heart began to sink, she inhaled a sharp breath. Emotions moving too quickly for Edward to identify crossed Bella's face, her eyes intense in their beauty and enlightenment.

"Bella, I'm so—"

"Don't. Don't say it."

Edward's mouth snapped shut with an audible click.

Bella drew in a breath and held it, moving to mirror Edward, placing her hands atop his to stop him moving them away from her face. At that moment, he was the only thing that was rooting her to the earth. Bella was afraid that, if he let go, she'd float away.

Up on her knees in front of him, Bella let her eyes drift over Edward, just absorbing.

 _Bella, I love you. I love you. I love you…_

It felt surreal.

 _Edward, loves me?_ Bella thought as she ran her fingertips over the backs of his hands, moving them slowly up, over his wrists, forearms, and biceps. So strong, so muscular. His obvious strength should be intimidating, but it wasn't. His volume and force of character should have terrified her, but he'd always been different with her. Softer. Gentler.

Loving?

As she looked back through their time together, both before and after her abduction, the realization that, yes, he was loving in his actions with her came swiftly. It didn't take a genius to see it, yet Bella had been hopelessly oblivious all this time. Ever since that day, when he carried her through the smoke and flames to safety, he'd been there. Always attuned to her needs and wants, always willing to move heaven and earth to make her happy.

During the journey from the motel to the safehouse back in Montana, he'd held her, sacrificing his own wellbeing so that she could be comfortable.

 _In the backseat of the SUV, Edward's chest relaxed for the first time in days, his arms tightening reflexively around Scarlett when she shifted. A warm puff of air left her lips and caressed his Adam's apple, sending a shiver through his body. He'd always been ticklish there. Cursing his ticklishness, Edward attempted to move so he wouldn't shudder every time Scarlett breathed._

 _A surprised gasp stopped him in his tracks. "Hey, it's okay. Your breath was tickling me," he whispered, halting Scarlett's attempt to scramble away. "Are you comfy?" Edward grinned at the hesitant dip of her head, tipping his own back against the headrest and sighing deeply. "You're welcome to stay then."_

 _And it seemed she wanted to, because she settled back in, only holding herself rigid for ten minutes or so until she relaxed once more._

At the safe house, when she'd become overwhelmed upon seeing Charlie for the first time in twelve years, he'd shown her how to relax and accept that her mind wasn't tricking her.

 _The agents, fathers, and Rosalie watched in burgeoning dismay when Scarlett began to rock on Edward's lap, her face turned into his neck, hands white-knuckling his slightly-too-small, borrowed hoodie._

" _What do I do?" Charlie asked nobody in particular, alarmed at the sight of this unfamiliar yet so familiar girl in clear distress right in front of him._

" _Let me just…" Edward trailed off, adjusting himself a bit. He squeezed his arms around Scarlett gently, ignoring the beguiled, but enthralled, onlookers as he whispered, "hey, Scarlett, you don't have to be scared and shut off, okay? You're safe. You're safe with us, with me. I don't have to let you go if you don't want me to, but your dad wants to see you. He's been waiting a long time just to see your face again. Don't you want to see him, too?"_

 _Slowly, Scarlett's keening slowed, then stopped. Each muscle relaxed infinitesimally until Edward wasn't just holding a bundle of nervous tremors anymore. Her hair a matted golden halo around her troubled mind, she blinked tear-filled eyes a few times, and Edward could almost see the change in them. The switch from unseeing to aware._

While nightmares and panic attacks rendered her useless at taking care of Marley without frightening her, Edward stepped up.

 _Shocked emerald green eyes shot to hers, the hand holding a glass of water to his lips slowly lowering. "Scarlett? What are you doing up?"_

 _The ominous ticking of the clock hanging lopsidedly on the wall was the only noise in the room for an endless second._

 _"Couldn't sleep," she finally murmured, unable to remove her eyes from the adorable sight of Edward cradling Marley against his bare chest, her head pillowed against his shoulder, one arm draped around him, the other snuggling Mister Eddie between their bodies. She was fast asleep, snoring quietly. Contentedly._

When they'd gone to the hospital, and she'd had to face more demons than she could count, he'd been steadfast in his support of both her and Marley. He'd been the easy, uncomplicated relationship that she needed. There was no pressure to feel comfortable with him like there was with her family, and it was this that allowed her to relax.

She'd instinctively trusted him from the outset. Whether it was because he'd been the one to rescue her from the fire, Bella wasn't sure, but her mind had always known Edward was safe.

Had always known that he'd catch her when she fell.

 _The first time around, nobody told Scarlett she was pregnant. She may have been only fifteen, but she knew enough about periods from overhearing conversations as a child to realize that it wasn't normal for them to suddenly stop._

 _Especially after what had happened six weeks or so before._

 _This time? This time she'd had no inkling, no suspicions or worries. Truthfully, she'd had plenty of other things to worry about._

 _So, with that said, it wasn't a surprise to anyone when her heart-rate soared and the breath rushed out of her in one long gust as the doctor informed her of the positive pregnancy test and the need for a scan to determine how far along she was._

 _Edward's arms were waiting when her legs became too wobbly to support her weight, her sight glazing over as she leaned backward into his chest and closed herself off before their eyes, all emotion wiping itself from her face, a shroud of numbness protecting her from the outside world._

Edward had comforted her on the plane ride back to England and had entertained Marley during the car journey, knowing she would be better able to keep herself calm if she wasn't worrying herself sick over Marley's reactions to her drastically different surroundings. In taking care of Marley, he'd taken care of Bella.

In the weeks since their return to England, he soothed her through panic attacks, nightmares, fears of inadequacy, and coached her as she adjusted to real life. Because the life they'd been living? It wasn't real.

It was the stuff of nightmares.

 _Edward's gaze followed Scarlett's mechanical movements from the dining table, where he'd sat, as she removed bacon from the fridge along with sausages and a carton of eggs. In the next moment, his face contorted in horror, legs pushing him up and around the island before he could think. Scarlett's shaky grip on the eggs had faltered, the sound of a cat meowing outside sending her right back to Montana for a few gut-wrenching seconds. The contents of the three eggs that toppled from their container splashed up over the short-sleeved t-shirt she'd borrowed from her dad and the gray tracksuit bottoms Archie had stolen for her from his fiancée's wardrobe._

 _Hands hovering cautiously near her shoulders, Edward ached to help, though he wasn't sure how to go about it._

 _Then, as hot tears streamed in torrents over Scarlett's face and her breaths turned to shallow pants, he thought to hell with it and tugged her gently into his chest, curling strong arms around her back. To his utter shock, she burrowed into him with a soft whimper. She clutched at his sides frantically, his lack of t-shirt leaving her with nothing to grip._

" _Hey, it's okay. You're okay, Bella. It's just me, you're all right." Edward rested his head atop her head. His hand ran a soothing path up and down the top half of her spine, the ends of her strawberry-blonde locks tickling his forearm. "Calm down. You're safe with me." Keeping his voice deliberately at a low whisper, Edward rocked their bodies side-to-side, humming the first tune that came to mind. Eventually, Scarlett came back to herself, the shudders wracking her body less frequent, tears slowing to more of a trickle than the waterfall of a minute previous._

He'd been so gentle as he held her panic attack at bay that morning. So calm and steady. An anchor for her to hang onto while she fought the demons in her mind.

" _Anything you need, you only have to ask, okay? I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere_."

And he hadn't. He'd given up his life in Italy to spend the past year, almost, in England. Bella knew, thanks to Archie, that Edward made most of his money on social media with his music and topped up his income with his skills in woodworking. All of that, it was here, where he lived just a short drive away from his grandparents.

He'd left it all behind to jump on a plane to England, then Montana. For her, and for her family.

Bella huffed out a long breath, her hand dropping gently to clasp the fabric of Edward's shirt at his side. Even with the fabric in the way, she knew exactly where the scar marred his skin. She'd seen the nurses and doctors cleaning it and dressing it, over and over and over. She'd seen the jagged pink lines marking his otherwise flawless torso when he stripped off to swim with Marley.

And she'd seen him wince when he stretched a little too much.

Eyes flitting upwards, Bella peered at Edward's solemn, patient face from beneath her lashes. This was a man who'd risked everything to save her. A man who'd very nearly paid the ultimate price in his attempts to rescue her from Garrett.

And here he was, baring his soul and admitting that he loved her. This beautiful, kind, generous man, on his knees saying the three little words every woman longed to hear. To her. A broken girl with a truckload of baggage.

But did she love him?

Even now, she wasn't sure. Bella's mind was in turmoil. Her heart was racing, lungs unable to take in a deep enough breath to provide relief. A million thoughts stung at her mind like tiny bees trapped in her brain, all vying for attention. She sucked in a breath, feeling tears prickle at her eyes. Bella had never been in love before. She'd never thought about it, read romance novels, or watched romantic movies with love-struck leads. It had never even been on her radar.

Until now.

What even is love?

Is it unwavering support? Comfort whenever you need it? Is love the warm feeling that spreads through your body when you watch that special someone playing with your daughter, tickling her until she screams? Or rocking your baby son to sleep, singing softly to soothe him? Bella didn't know, couldn't be sure.

"Edward, I—" She stopped, looking upward to the sky for a moment in an attempt to gather her thoughts. The fairy lights glittered above, a twinkling canopy overhead. When she looked back to Edward her lips curled upwards. The glow of the lights made his copper locks shine a deep, rich bronze, picking out the golden highlights brought out by the sun.

Edward let his hands fall to his lap, a shiver rippling through his body when Bella reached up to run the backs of her fingers over his five o'clock-shadowed jaw.

"I don't know if…if I'm there yet. I don't, umm, I don't know what that feels like. To be in love? I don't know what that feels like—"

"Can I stop you for just a second?" Edward asked softly.

Bella huffed, nodding with a tiny, grateful smile. Truthfully, she hadn't had any clue what to say.

Edward's lips curled up on one side. "When I decided to tell you, I knew you wouldn't say it back, Bella. I didn't tell you this to make you say it back – that was never my intention. I just wanted you to know. _If_ you ever feel the same, well, I'll be here. If not? That's okay, too."

Edward had barely finished speaking before Bella slammed into his chest, winding her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck. He steadied himself, and her, with a quiet _oomph_ , bracing himself on one arm before wrapping her up in his embrace, once he was sure they wouldn't tip over. She held on tight, soft puffs of breath warming the skin of his neck and shoulder.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

"Overwhelmed. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't say it back yet."

Smiling against Bella's hair, Edward closed his eyes and released a long sigh. It was relief, affection, and sheer happiness at having Bella in his arms. She was warm, fit perfectly against his chest, and smelled sweet and perfect. "Just you saying 'yet' is enough for me, _bella ragazza_."

Bella pulled back, all beautiful blue eyes and sweet, bashful smiles. "I've never felt this way about anyone, Edward. I guess I just need…"

"Time?"

She nodded, settling her face back into the crook of his neck. Edward's grin stretched wide as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and, for the first time in a long time, let himself relax and consider the possibility that, one day, Bella might just love him back after all.

 **~ oOo ~**

The following morning, Bella woke slowly, wondering why she was too hot and why she felt as though she'd overslept.

A small smile curled her lips when memories from the previous night began to swirl through her mind. She sighed, letting her eyes fall shut as she replayed the evening in her head.

Edward had been so sweet, so tender. His words played on a loop, over and over, drumming themselves into her heart.

 _Bella, I love you._

A soft, quiet, sleepy grumble from behind Bella made her eyes snap open. Carefully, so as not to wake the owner of the arm draped over her waist, Bella rolled to face her visitor.

Rosalie's eyes were still closed, her chest rising and falling with deep, even breaths. She was still asleep.

Sighing, Bella began to wonder what she'd tell her. When she and Edward had eventually remembered the rest of their family, they were alone outside. Everyone had disappeared, and neither of them knew exactly when they'd left. A note had been taped to Bella's door, simply telling her that Charlie was taking Bodhi and Marley for a sleepover, and that was that.

But Bella couldn't help but wonder when they'd all left, couldn't help but wonder what they'd seen or heard.

She wasn't even sure she really remembered it right. It didn't seem real that Edward, strong, beautiful Edward, had professed his love for her.

Had he really? Bella couldn't help but question her memories.

"Why do you look so stressed? It's too early to be so brooding."

Bella met Rosalie's gaze. Her baby-blue eyes were tinged with curiosity, but mostly just showed happiness. Suddenly, Bella suspected that she, at least, had seen her exchange with Edward.

"I was just thinking. Wondering how I ended up sharing my bed."

As she stretched herself out lithely, humming at the pleasure, Rosalie grinned. "I didn't want you to escape without dishing, so I figured I'd make sure I saw you before you got up. Plus, Carl-Roman ran past my room at seven screaming for the pool, so I was awake anyway."

Frowning, Bella rolled over to see the clock. _9:43._

"I've slept in."

Rosalie nodded. "Yeah, not complaining. Late night last night, early awakening. Hang on, I need the loo. Don't go anywhere."

Rosalie pointed her finger at Bella, telling her to stay put, and scampered away into the bathroom. Bella smiled, flopping back onto the pillows. Even though she suspected that she was about to be thoroughly interrogated about her evening, Bella couldn't help but grin.

This was what it always should have been like. She and Rosalie should have done this a thousand times by now. They should have had girly sleepovers dishing the dirt about boys they liked at school or their crush from the park.

But those things had been stolen from them.

"Hey! Quit with the serious look. I would've thought you'd be in a super mood this morning after last night."

Deciding to play with Rosalie a little, Bella plastered a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I figured after a chat with a certain handsome Italian, you'd be bouncing off the walls this morning!" Rosalie threw herself down on the bed, lying parallel with Bella, her head propped up on bended elbow.

"I don't know what you mean. I just thanked him for the beautiful song…" Bella trailed off, remembering.

 _Eyes like the ocean, deep and blue_

 _I always loved the sea, but honey it's got nothin' on you_

"Bella, don't even try it. I saw you all cozied up. I spied, so don't even give me the innocent speech," Rosalie laughed at the stunned look on Bella's face.

"You...you _spied_?"

"Of course! Jesus, B, we've been waiting forever for you two to open your eyes!"

"I…I'm shocked!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're shocked, I'm sorry, blah. Now dish, missy."

Sighing, Bella recognized the determination in Rosalie's face, deciding it wasn't worth fighting her. To be honest, Rosalie might even be able to help her get her thoughts in order.

"He…" A smile took over her entire face as she huffed, "he said he loves me."

Rosalie squealed, shoving herself up to sit cross-legged. "Seriously? He finally said it?"

"You knew?"

"Of course! It's so obvious. We all wondered if he'd ever get the courage to tell you." Smiling warily, Rosalie reached forward to twist a lock of Bella's hair around her pinky finger. "How do you feel about it? You don't seem as excited as I thought you would."

"I don't really know. I mean, I'm a little…overwhelmed? I guess I just really didn't expect it. And after that song…"

"I know, right?" Rosalie sighed a long, girlish sound. "So beautiful. And all for you, you lucky thing."

Bella grimaced. "That's just it. He's so amazing, and I'm just…this. I'm a mess compared to him."

"No, Bella. Don't say that. Look, when we first came back? We were _both_ hot messes. Agreed?"

Bella snorted at the understatement, nodding.

"Right. But now? Jesus, B, look how much better we are! I mean, you're basically a completely different person! You're the most amazing mum to Mars and Bodhi, you're conquering all of your fears one by one, and you're still managing to be the nurturing, kind person you've always been. It's crazy how far you've come, Bella." Rosalie sighed. "I'm so proud of you, B. Really, I am. So don't let your nerves get the better of you with Edward. That man loves you to pieces; a blind person could see that. All you've got to do is let him."

"All right," Bella sniffled, a touch overwhelmed by Rosalie's lovely words. She hadn't realized that Rosalie had seen her that way, that she'd thought those things about her. "When did you get so smart?"

"Eh, I've always been this smart. I just had to hide some of my intelligence to make you feel better."

Mock-outraged, Bella stuck her hand right into the space between Rosalie's neck and shoulder, tickling her until she was writhing around the bed in fits of giggles and breathlessly panting for mercy.

"You're mean, Bella Swan," she eventually huffed when Bella laughed and let her go, moving off the bed to slide on her slippers and thin cotton robe. "I take back all the nice things I just said."

Smiling in the doorway of the en suite bathroom, Bella shook her head. "No take-backs, Ro."

Rosalie stuck her tongue out at Bella's disappearing back, flopping onto the cushions to catch her breath with a beaming smile on her face. She lifted only her head when Bella quietly called her name.

Bella popped her head around the doorframe, small grin in place, and a new softness to her eyes. "Ro? I'm proud of you, too. I'm proud of _us_. All of us."

Rosalie nodded, swallowing around the lump that had suddenly taken up residence in her throat. "Me too, Bella."

 **~ oOo ~**

Throughout her shower, and then while she dried and dressed in a loose summer dress, Bella worried. As she tied her still-damp curls back in a loose bun and slid her feet into a pair of flip-flops, she worried. And as she walked with Rosalie toward the patio where everybody was gathering for breakfast, she felt as though her heart was going to pound clear out of her chest.

 _How will he react now?_

She couldn't help but nervously fiddle with the soft material of her dress as they rounded the corner into the kitchen, then stepped out onto the patio.

 _How is Edward going to act around me?_

As it turned out, Bella quickly realized that she never should have worried. As soon as she stepped outside, Marley charged toward her, crashing into her legs.

"Mummy, you're up!" She cheered, arms wound tight around Bella's thighs, beaming up at her with a big, toothy grin.

"I am, baby girl," Bella sighed, scooping her daughter up and peppering kisses all over her rosy cheeks and button nose. It was their usual morning routine, but it helped that it gave Bella the added bonus of a few extra seconds to compose herself. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Uh-huh. Really good. Look, Mummy, we've got pancakes for breakfast! Edward made mine in a heart shape."

For the first time since he walked her to her door last night, leaving her with a kiss on her cheek, which had left her skin tingling until she fell asleep almost two hours later, Bella looked at Edward. He was sitting at the long table, a plate piled high with pancakes in front of him, Marley's favored, pink mosaic plate in the empty spot beside him, Bodhi on his lap merrily slapping at the table while babbling nonsense. Everyone else was there too, though, in that moment, Bella only had eyes for Edward.

He grinned, almost bashfully, a single dimple appearing beside his crooked smile. It warmed Bella to see that she wasn't the only one a little nervous this morning. He was wearing his trusty backwards cap, so with the sun able to get to his eyes unimpeded, they glowed a beautiful, happy, grassy green.

"Mornin', _bella ragazza_. Sweet dreams?"

Bella nodded, settling Marley on her hip as she rounded the table, pausing to press a kiss to her dad's head before sitting between him and Edward, in the seat Marley had vacated. "Yes, thank you. You?"

Edward smiled down at her, a mischievous twinkle in his gaze. "The sweetest."

Lips parted as a soft huff of breath snuck free, and Bella felt the familiar flush of warmth in her stomach that always appeared when Edward spoke to her in that way – in that husky, yet somehow soft, tone.

"Mummy, _look_!"

Edward chuckled, focusing on Bodhi as Marley insisted Bella look at her heart-shaped pancake. Knowing glances were shared around the table as they watched the little quartet – Edward, Bella, Marley, and Bodhi – interact within their own little bubble. Rosalie managed to snap a couple of heartwarming shots, already picturing how they'd look canvased and hung back at home.

"Hey now, little soldier," Edward chuckled, drawing Bella's attention from Marley and the entire bottle of syrup she was trying to pour over her pancake.

"Bababa."

"All right, enough with the backchat, _tesoro_. Here, why don't you try some of this, huh?"

Bodhi cocked his head, eyeing the spoonful of pureed apple Edward was offering. Then he grinned, flashing his gums, and leaned forward to accept it. Bodhi chomped hard enough on the spoon that Edward let go and it remained there, clamped between his lips.

"He's teething," Bella commented quietly, having noticed his particularly hard gums a few days previous and the way he suddenly wanted to chew absolutely everything.

Bodhi's large, blue-green eyes sparkled as he looked around at his laughing family members, the spoon still protruding from his mouth.

"You know, _tesoro_ , if you want more, you're going to have to give the spoon back."

Bodhi looked up at Edward, his grin widening enough that the spoon fell into Edward's waiting hand.

"There we go. Good boy."

Bella watched Edward feed Bodhi the rest of his puree while multi-tasking to eat his pancakes at the same time. His plate, like Marley's, was almost overflowing with syrup.

Within a minute or two of finishing her breakfast, Marley joined forces with Carl-Roman, pestering the adults to hurry so they could go swimming. Archie and Bella were amused to discover that the mischievous children had blackmailed their guileless Papaw the night before, promising to go to sleep if they could swim today.

Once breakfast had been cleared away, the group headed back to their rooms to get the necessary clothes, towels, and floats for the children. For the impatient children, everything took too long.

"Marley Rosalie Swan, if you carry on with that attitude we won't be swimming at all. We'll stay here, and everyone else can go," Bella finally snapped when Marley became increasingly narky that she had to wait for her mother to change Bodhi into his swimsuit - a blue and white romper emblazoned with a smiling, sunglass-wearing crab.

Abashed, Marley ducked her head and sat quietly on the bed until Bella was done. With Bodhi dressed and on her hip, Bella turned back to her daughter. "Now what do you say, baby girl?"

"Sorry, Mummy," she mumbled, leaping from the bed to wrap her mother's legs in a tight cuddle.

Bella's stern expression melted away, replaced by a soft smile as she stroked Marley's hair. "Thank you, Marley. Right, shall we go see if everyone else is ready?"

"Yes!" Marley cried, darting out of the bedroom. As Bella laughed and scooped their bundle of towels from the bed she heard Edward talking to Marley in the hall, so she quickened her step, laughing when she spotted the duo.

"Hey, you three all match!"

Edward's eyes found her, taking a quick wander down, over the stretched tank top and short denim skirt she wore, warming the skin everywhere they touched. Then he grinned, setting every bit of her on fire.

"We sure do. Looks like it's stripes day today, huh?" He swung Marley up into his arms, tickling the shell of her ear and making noisy raspberries against her neck.

Bella couldn't help but smile, watching them. Edward had chosen a pair of navy and white striped board shorts, while Marley was sporting her favorite swimming costume. It, too, was striped in navy and white, but unlike Edward's shorts, it bore tiny red bows on the front of each shoulder strap, and a matching, larger one on the back. With Bodhi's nautical themed outfit fitting right in with them, Bella was the odd one out in her pink top and grey denim.

"Edward?" Marley asked, cupping his face between her small palms.

"Yes, little sweet?"

"Can we go now? Pretty please?"

Laughing, he leaned in to give her an Eskimo kiss. "Well, as you asked so nicely! C'mon, Bella, let's go get our girl swimming."

As Bella trailed after Marley and Edward with Bodhi chatting away to himself, she couldn't help but feel warmed by his use of the words 'our girl' and the sight of his easy interaction with Marley.

If she wasn't head over heels for Edward yet, Marley sure was.

 **~ oOo ~**

"It's okay, little sweet. You're so, _so_ close. Just a little more practice."

Marley growled, slapping her hands on the surface of the water. "I'm never gonna get it."

Bella watched from her sun lounger with a small, sympathetic smile on her face, Bodhi nestled in her arms chugging his bottle. Marley and Edward had been in the pool all morning working on her swimming, and so far, Marley was doing amazingly well. She was, however, increasingly frustrated that she was still wearing her life vest while Carl-Roman splashed around without his.

Edward lifted her into the air, bringing her back down with a loud splash. It made her smile despite her best efforts to hold onto her scowl, and he chuckled, holding her out in front of him.

Bella tried valiantly to keep her focus on Marley, not his toned, tanned, muscular chest. She managed it - mostly. The soft flush infusing her cheeks gave away her wandering eyes, much to the amusement of Rosalie, Esme, Heidi, and Pippa.

"Look, little sweet, you've only been learning for a few weeks. You're already doing amazingly well, okay? A bit more practice and you'll basically be a fish."

Marley snorted, still trying to cling to her frustration.

Grinning, Edward leaned forward, raised her out of the water, and blew loud raspberries all over her exposed belly. She flailed her arms and legs, squealing and laughing hysterically. Edward finally let her down when she panted her surrender.

"Are you going to stop being a grouch?"

Marley sighed, her smile wide. "Okay, Edward."

" _Bene!_ Shall we get out for a bit and have some lunch, little sweet? We're all wrinkly, and my tummy is getting angry, it's so empty!"

As Marley paddled backward, Edward following, she snickered. "Your tummy can't be empty already, Edward! You ate a million pancakes for breakfast."

"Well, I'm a growing boy! I need lots and lots of pancakes to get big, strong, and handsome."

Bella sighed, the sound long and girly, as she watched Edward swoop Marley out of the water to sit on the edge of the pool, neatly lifting himself out to join her with just his arms. His biceps flexed, firm chest straining as it was revealed to her eyes. She couldn't help but follow the water rivulets as they trailed down from his hair, over his broad shoulders, down his defined pectorals, washboard abs, to the beginnings of the 'V' that tapered down into his board shorts.

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, the resulting peals of laughter from Rosalie, Esme, Heidi, and Pippa drawing Marley and Edward's attention.

"What's funny, ladies?" Edward asked with a cocked head and raised eyebrows, sauntering over with Marley's hand in his.

The sight was an adorable, heart melting one.

The tall, tanned, muscular hero with his pretty baby princess.

"Nothing, dear," Esme chortled, her smile soft and placating when he sank into a crouch at the foot of Bella's lounger and looked to his aunt, searching for the cause of Bella's obvious embarrassment. Her cheeks flamed crimson at his perusal.

"Mummy, Edward's tummy is hungry. Please, can we have some snacks?"

"O-of course, baby girl. Help yourself. They're in that bag, there."

Edward deftly untied the loop in the bag handles, fishing out two packets of Marley's favorite snack.

"Fruit wheels! Yummy."

Marley loved the stretchy Fruit Winders, and Bella preferred her eating them to the chocolatey biscuits she'd gotten a touch addicted to back in Montana at the safe house.

"Aunt Mimi, can I sit with you, please?"

Esme beamed, taking the Paw Patrol towel Edward handed her and holding it out. "I'd love you to sit with me, sweet girl. Come here, let's get you all warm and dry."

Marley bundled herself into the big, fluffy towel, then happily curled up between Esme's legs and leaned back against her chest to eat her treat.

Edward smiled at the sight. Not for the first time, he wished they'd been able to have a baby of their own - Esme and Carlisle. They'd have made brilliant parents. He knew they'd tried and lost two children early in Esme's pregnancies. He'd flown them out to his home in Italy both times, letting them recuperate and grieve without the rigors of work, or the demands of their day-to-day lives.

Edward wasn't sure when they'd stopped trying, or if they even had, but he wished fervently that they'd been able to have children of their own. Seeing Esme wistfully dote upon Marley, Bodhi, Carl-Roman, and Chase just about broke his heart so he couldn't imagine how Carlisle felt, or Esme herself.

Charlie's muttered curse a few minutes later attracted everybody's attention to him and the phone in his hand. He sat back heavily, the plastic chair creaking beneath his bulk.

"Ooh, Pawpaw, you need to give a pound to the swear jar!" Carl-Roman crowed gleefully.

Charlie mustered a smile for his grandson, promising to add it to the tally they had running while they were away. Seeing that he obviously had something unpleasant to share, Heidi and Pippa bribed Marley and Carl-Roman with promises of ice lollies, leading them towards the little outhouse where the freezer and inflatables resided.

Bella and Rosalie sat forward, the rest of the group readying themselves for whatever Charlie had to say.

"All right, so I've just had an email from Riley. He's got some news. Are you ready?"

"Dad, please, just…"

Charlie nodded grimly, reading the message from his screen exactly how Riley had written it.

"Hey guys, I hope you're all loving your vacation. Bella and Rosalie - your gifts are waiting at home for you. I hope you'll like them. Marley - yours is extra special, and you'll get it when you get home. I know you'll love it."

Charlie paused, shooting cursory glances at Bella and Rosalie. "This is where he explains what's been going on back home."

Clearing his throat, Charlie resumed reading. "I hate to disturb you with this during your vacation, but we're in a bit of a time crunch. We've located the wife. Chloe Smith is in New York. We know it's her thanks to Bella's drawings, but she's claiming to be someone else so we need a positive ID before we can haul her in for questioning. I've attached some images our investigators managed to get. I completely understand if you'd rather wait until you're home. Just let me know either way."

Charlie looked at his daughter, then at Rosalie. "What do you think, girls? Do you want to wait?"

The girls shared a loaded look. It was resolute, and they knew they shared the same opinion without having to speak.

"No, we'll do it now. The sooner we do, the sooner Riley can get her," Rosalie spoke for both of them, her tone final.

With a proud smile, Charlie nodded. "Alrighty then. Uh, he also says…" He scrolled down, continuing to read. "Emmett, I've got the information you requested. It'll be waiting for you when you return." Charlie shot Emmett an openly curious glance, but dropped his gaze when Emmett simply nodded, clearly not wanting to share. "He finishes with, 'I hope you're all having an amazing time. You all deserve it. Be very jealous of me, sitting in my cold office in New York with rain pouring outside.'"

"Oh, yeah," Edward snickered. "We're _super_ jealous."

Charlie grinned in agreement. "I have some more information to go through with you, but that can wait until after your vacation. It's not important, but it's all good news for the case. I'll video call you when you're back and settled in at home again. For now, enjoy the sun and forget about everything back home." With a huff, Charlie lowered his phone. His expression was pensive. "All right. Photos. Do you girls want to look here, or…? We can go inside?"

"No, it's fine, Uncle Chuck," Rosalie murmured, leaving her lounger to join Bella on hers. They sat side-by-side, Bodhi sleeping soundly against Bella's chest as she inhaled deeply, preparing herself to see a face she'd never thought she'd have to see again.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, Dad. It's okay."

Charlie tapped on his screen a few times, then frowned as he turned it toward Bella and Rosalie.

They both sighed and nodded in unison.

"That's her. That's Chloe Smith, h-his wife," Rosalie murmured.

The girls leaned into one another as Charlie stood, wandering off to call Riley just as Heidi and Pippa returned with Marley and Carl-Roman.

"Oh, baby girl," Bella laughed quietly, mindful of Bodhi sleeping against her. "Did you have a chocolate ice cream, by any chance?"

Marley grinned, her smile ringed with chocolate, azure eyes sparkling with happiness. Her hair had dried in manic curls the same color as her cold treat; she looked the epitome of a happy child. It was all Bella had ever wanted for her baby; to feel safe, loved, healthy, and happy.

"I did, Mummy! How'd you know?"

Bella laughed, scooping one of Bodhi's toys from the mat on the floor and handing it over; Marley giggled, looking at her face in the mirror attached to one of the toy octopus' tentacles.

"It looks like I gotta beard!"

Edward chuckled, "well, little sweet, you have it all over your face! C'mere, let's get you clean. Give it five minutes, and we can go in the pool again, _si_?"

Marley giggled. " _Si_ , Edward!"

Five minutes later, on the dot, because Marley wouldn't accept a minute longer delay than the promised five, Bella sighed and relaxed back into her seat, gently stroking dark blond curls back from her baby son's head as he slept. Her eyes followed Edward as he carried Marley across the patio toward the lower slide. She bounced with delight on his hip and cheered as they slid down, splashing into the pool. Marley popped up to the surface quicker than Edward thanks to her life vest and was ready to splash him when he surfaced. Only, he didn't.

Bella muffled her laughter into Bodhi's curls as Marley looked around in confusion, squealing when Edward popped up behind her, lifted her in the air and carefully tossed her. When her head came back above the water a few feet away, she pointed a finger at him and huffed, a smile battling with her scowl.

"That was _mean_ , Edward! I'm gonna get you!"

"I'll help, Mars! I'll help!" Carl-Roman crowed, executing a perfect cannonball into the water.

As Bella watched him tag team with Marley to splash Edward as much as possible, she felt the familiar prickle of tears. Happy ones, of course.

Her children were happy, loved, and safe.

If she leaned forward, she could see her dad just around the corner, laughing heartily at whatever Riley was saying on the phone.

Peter was playing cards with Heidi and Pippa, their smiles matching and miles wide.

Archie was building a sandcastle in the sandpit with Chase, just a few feet away. Close enough to see his relaxed, content smile as he loved on his boy.

Emmett and Rosalie were sharing a lounger and watching a video on his phone. It was obviously funny, because they were both laughing and sharing smiles. As Bella watched she couldn't help but wonder if she and Edward were as obvious as they were with their affection for one another. She was positive that it wouldn't be long before they declared themselves and stopped pretending they were content with friendship.

Esme had joined Carlisle on his lounger and was sitting between his legs with hers thrown over them. He wore a happy, relaxed smile and leaned forward to kiss the crown of her head every now and then, his hands resting lightly together over her belly. She was leaning back against his chest with a blissful smile on her face as she watched Edward in the water with Marley and Carl-Roman.

Bella's eyes skittered back to the pool, a single tear falling. Her heart was full, her smile broad, eyes aglow with the knowledge that life just couldn't get any better than this.

* * *

 **So...still with me? *peeps out from behind hands***

 **She didn't say it back, BUT she said 'yet.' I promised a HEA and there'll be one - and there's no HEA without the couple admitting their feelings, right? She'll be thinking about it now and notice his behavior more. All is not lost just because she didn't admit her feelings just yet.**

 **Have a great week, everyone! I'll see you again soon :)**


	36. Chapter Thirty-Four

**Well...I'm still alive! I honestly thought I'd  
get grief for not having Bella say she loves  
Edward back! That said, I'm so, _so_ glad that  
you all understood why she wasn't quite there  
yet. As a lot of you mentioned, she's still learning  
who she is and what it is to be safe and happy -  
she's got plenty of time to figure out how to love,  
too.**

 **As usual, your reviews brightened my days more  
than I can describe! I've had a rotten week and you  
can't imagine how much it cheered me to read your  
kind words. You all rock, and I love you very much.  
I AM sorry that I didn't get around to responding to  
them all; I promise I'll try harder for this chapter :)**

 **The closer I get to the end of this thing, the more I  
start to mourn the loss of my wonderful dream team.  
I'm praying they'll both stay on with me if I do run  
with the sequel for this, because I adore them both  
something rotten! Without**SunflowerFran **and** annaharding  
 **this would be a mish-mash of randomly placed commas  
** **and glaring mistakes. They're the PB to my J and the  
** **eraser to my errant pen *haha* THANK YOU, both!**

 *****Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in three different  
categories on their new blog each month.  
Number one will be our Rookie ... A new, first-time writer showcasing  
their first fic on our blog. Number two will be our Encore ...  
A new fic from a seasoned author giving us  
a sneak peek. Number three will be our Classic ...  
one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.**

 **If you are a Rookie and need help, contact Fran  
on the PIF page, or myself. And if you  
have an Encore, contact her to get your new fic  
showcased. And anyone interesting in  
writing a summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.*****

 **We've got a little time jump here, so I'll leave you to  
it. Enjoy, guys! Happy Weekend!**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-Four**

 **Two months later…  
June 3** **rd** **2017**

" _Mummy! Where are my pink shoes?"_

Bella sighed, looking upward at the ceiling. "Wherever you took them off, baby girl!"

Silence. Then… _thud, thud, thud._ _"Found them!"_

Instead of yelling back to Marley, Bella turned to her baby brother. She was unable to stop herself from smiling when she laid eyes on him. She'd given Bodhi a bowl of soft fruit to eat for breakfast; most of it was now mashed into the tray of his highchair as well as in his hair.

"Oh, sweet boy," she sighed, picking up the baby wipes on her way over to him. "Shall we get you all clean, huh?"

Bodhi bounced in his chair and babbled nonsense as Bella wiped the strawberry-banana-blueberry mess from his chubby cheeks, then his hands and hair. His honey blond curls would need proper washing, so Bella settled for cleaning as much of the fruit from his head as possible before removing him from his chair and wandering into the hall. A bath would have to wait. They were already running a few minutes behind schedule.

Just as she reached the foot of the stairs, Marley appeared at the top.

"I'm ready!" She sang, doing a little twirl. The pale blue fabric of her dress fanned out around her, putting smiles on both her face and Bella's. "Do I look pretty, Mamma?"

Bella nodded and grinned, always happy to see her baby happy. "You do, baby girl. Very pretty."

Marley nodded and bounded noisily down the stairs. Her white leather pumps clicked on the hardwood floor of the hall as she headed for the living room, Bella and Bodhi on her tail. "Look, Zia Rosalie!"

Rosalie snorted, leaving the sofa to scoop Marley into her arms for a twirl. "You're still learning Italian, then?"

"Oh, yes! Edward is teaching me. Mummy is 'Mamma,' and you're 'Zia Rosalie,' 'stead of 'auntie.'"

Shaking her head, Rosalie looked to Bella; she could only offer a shrug. "She wants to learn. I don't want to stop her."

Marley's thirst for knowledge was something Bella never wanted to stifle, especially when it was so adorable listening to her master the Italian accent. Ever since they got back from Italy Marley was soaking up her lessons with Edward.

Leaving Italy had been bitter sweet.

Sweet, because they were all looking forward to seeing friends and family back in England, and sleeping in their own beds once more.

But it was also bitter, particularly for Bella, because she'd felt so at home there in Edward's villa. And of course, she'd had revelations untold whilst there; Edward's declaration under the stars and fairy lights a moment she'd never forget.

It didn't hurt that Marley was completely and utterly in love with Edward – even more so after a month of lapping up his attention uninhibited – which was beyond heartwarming to see. She idolized him, and he, in turn, doted upon her.

"Ooh, Zia Rosalie. Let me down, let me down. I need to show you…" She spun in circles around the living room, girlish giggles following her as she watched her skirt twirling around her feet as she moved, the sparkly hem catching the light streaming in through the windows. "Ta da!"

"Just like a princess, Mars," Rosalie told her indulgently.

"I know. Okay, so can we go now? Zio Archie is pro'lly waiting for us. And Carl-Roman's gonna eat all the ice cream!"

Bella left Rosalie to entertain Marley while she jogged upstairs with Bodhi. There was no way he could go out in his onesie; it was covered in various fruits. She set him in his crib for a moment as she dug through the dresser, finally locating the outfit she wanted just as Bodhi began to get restless.

"It's all right, baby boy. Mamma's coming." Bella paused, lifting him from the crib with a shake of her head. "God, he's even got me doing it now. _Mummy_ is here, baby boy."

Bodhi grinned, all gums apart from the twin teeth at the front of his mouth. His big, beautiful, blue-green eyes were happy and content now that he was in Bella's arms, and his chortles as she tickled his feet and dressed him on her bed were heaven to his mother's ears. After wrangling chubby little arms and legs into his clothes, she sat back with a smile. Bella was unable to resist snapping a few photos on her phone. He looked adorable in his yellow and white striped polo with a blue collar and trim, and a pair of stone colored cargo shorts. After a quick, mental run-through of the things she'd managed to organize earlier in the morning, Bella remembered that she'd left his blue leather sandals downstairs with Marley's hair bows and her own accessories, so she scooped him up and back down the stairs they went.

Unlike his big sister as a baby, Bodhi was rarely quiet and kept up a steady stream of chatter.

Marley was bouncing impatiently on her feet by the front door, Rosalie watching with a smile on her face. "Are you ready, Mamma? Is baby Bodhi ready?"

"One second, baby girl. Have you got your bows?"

"Oh!" Marley dashed into the kitchen, skidding back into the hallway a few moments later with her hair bows, as well as Bella's sunglasses and keys and Bodhi's shoes.

"C'mere, handsome boy," Rosalie cooed, taking Bodhi so Bella could fix the blue bows at the end of each of Marley's identical braids. Marley was all but vibrating with excitement and tore down the garden path as soon as Bella had slipped her feet into her own sandals, sliding Bodhi's onto his feet as Rosalie carried him down the path towards the car idling outside the house.

Marley squealed as soon as she realized who had come to collect them. "Uncle Emmy! You're back!"

Emmett's laughter boomed around them as he left the car to lift Marley into the air and spin her. "Little Missy! I've missed you."

"I missed you, too, Uncle Em." Marley cupped his face in her small hands just as Bella, Bodhi, and Rosalie joined them, her expression serious. "You're not allowed to go away again, alright?"

Emmett chuckled, gently tweaking her nose and setting her down on her feet. "All right. I promise." Bella hid her giggles behind Bodhi's head when she watched the odd greeting between Emmett and Rosalie. They did a sort of awkward nod with a side hug and bashful, rosy-cheeked smiles.

He turned to her then, his grin spreading wider as he ruffled Bodhi's curls and leaned in to kiss Bella's cheek. "Hey, Bella. How're you and the boy doing?"

"We're good, Emmett. It's great to have you back. Did you do everything you wanted?"

Emmett's gaze was wistful, and a touch sad, as he nodded. "I guess so. I mean, it would've been nice to meet them, you know? But I'm okay."

Everyone had been sad for the gentle, giant Southerner when they'd returned from their holiday in Italy, and he'd been told about his parents. Both Rachel and Brett Wilson, Emmett's mother and father, were dead. They'd passed away just over two years previous, after Brett crashed his car into a wall. An autopsy had confirmed that he was well over the drink driving limit and they'd been killed on impact. Riley had sent Emmett to the cemetery in Gloucester where they were buried side-by-side, then to the foster home in which he'd been placed at just a week old. Thanks to Riley's contacts, he was able to find out that he'd been adopted at six-weeks-old before being relocated to the USA; Texas, to be precise.

The names of the couple who'd adopted him were Garrett and Chloe Smith.

It was a mystery to him, seeing as he'd never met Garrett or Chloe before he began working at the ranch at age eighteen.

Riley promised to continue investigating, but in the meantime, Emmett decided that, with nothing else he could do in Gloucester, he wanted to head back to his real family. He'd arrived early this morning and had jumped at the chance to pick up Bella, Rosalie, Marley, and Bodhi. He'd missed them all.

Rosalie in particular.

As they loaded up into the car, Marley buckling herself into her car seat while Bella strapped Bodhi into his beside her, Emmett couldn't help but soak in the effortless waves of Rosalie's hair and the sparkle in her eyes. He'd missed those beautiful baby-blues. More than once, while he was away he'd wished to be able to see them, just once, because he'd known her face would comfort him. But he'd refrained from calling, opting to send short, succinct texts instead as he tried to soak in as much information about his biological parents as possible.

But now, back in the small town he'd grown to love in the past few months, with the family who'd taken him in and made him one of their own, Emmett felt more at home than he ever had before.

The drive to Archie's didn't take very long. Still, the excitement of the day was almost too much for Marley to bear. She squirmed and fidgeted in her unicorn car seat, being scolded by her mother more than once for kicking the back of Emmett's seat. In her frustration, Marley snapped back at Bella and then wound up with big, fat tears rolling down her cheeks as Emmett parked on the driveway of Archie and Kristen's house. Bella then told her that as soon as they got inside she'd have to spend six minutes on the naughty step – one minute for every year of her life. Marley sulked her way into her uncle's house and sat dutifully on the bottom step of the stairs as Bella unclipped Bodhi from his car seat and carried him down the hall, reminding Marley to stay put until she came back.

As the little group reached the kitchen, Bella and Bodhi were accosted by Carmen and Tanya, both wanting to see the bonny baby boy. They'd last seen him at Christmas, so he'd grown a fair bit in their absence, now nearing ten-months-old.

Emmett wandered away with Rosalie. Bella glanced out of the window and saw them join Peter and the twins, smiles on everybody's faces.

"My God, Bella! He's like a different child," Carmen breathed, stroking Bodhi's chubby cheek.

Bella smiled with pride. "You'd never know that he was premature, would you? He's like a tank. At his last check the pediatrician said he's completely caught up with what he should weigh, despite being born at less than five pounds."

Tanya laughed, shaking her head in wonder as Bodhi reached up to curl the locks of his mother's hair in his hands. "He's probably almost as big as Isaac, you know? That boy just doesn't eat but he grows so fast, like a little weed, I swear! He's a nightmare. Neither me or Robbie are fussy, but Isaac…Jesus."

Carmen nodded exaggeratedly behind Tanya when she said 'nightmare,' Bella barely able to stifle her giggles. She'd heard all about Isaac and his wild temper. He'd definitely inherited the spirit associated with having red hair as well as his dad's fiery red locks.

As they spoke, the little boy himself charged into the kitchen, Robbie in hot pursuit. Bella smiled, seeing the way Bodhi's face lit up when he spotted him; he loved other babies and children.

After saying a quick 'hello' to her cousin's husband and son before Bodhi could fuss to get down, Bella headed back out to the hall to fetch Marley from her timeout.

The step was empty. Her leather pumps were abandoned on the floor, and Marley was gone.

Huffing, Bella looked to Bodhi, unable to stop herself from smiling when he gave her a wide, two-toothy grin. "Your sister is trouble, isn't she?"

"Mar-mar!"

"Yeah, baby boy, Marley," she laughed, turning and aiming straight for the garden. How Marley had managed to slip by her, she wasn't sure, but if she had to guess she'd say a certain, dark haired, blue-green eyed little nephew of hers might have had something to do with it.

As soon as Bella reached the doorway to the garden, she spotted Marley. It would have been hard not to, as she was squealing and shrieking as she was tickled mercilessly.

A soft sigh wormed its way from between Bella's lips as she leaned against the timber doorframe, butterflies taking up residence in the pit of her stomach.

Archie and Kristen's garden was long and rectangular, with decking taking up the furthest end; it housed a large barbecue and a long, wooden table and chairs. On a usual day, the lawn making up the rest of the garden would be littered with Carl-Roman's and Chase's toys. Today it was filled with family.

Eleazer and his sons Mike and Eric – eighteen and thirteen, respectively – were in deep discussion with Jasper and his son Clarke. Eric and Clarke seemed more interested in their phones, to be fair, but they were joining in with the occasional remark when the conversation was deemed interesting enough.

Alice, the twins, Peter, Rosalie, and Emmett stood nearby, drinks in their hands and beaming grins on their faces as Emmett told what was obviously a very funny story. He was always animated when he spoke, and his hands often flailed around.

Archie and Kristen looked to be having an intense discussion over by the barbecue, Chase playing contentedly in the sandpit with Angela and Jessica - Eleazer and Carmen's seventeen and twenty-one-year-old daughters.

Bella felt her stomach flutter as her gaze found Edward again. He'd dropped down to his knees on the grass now and was being bundled by Marley, Carl-Roman, and Dave; Alice and Jasper's youngest. They were using him as a jungle gym, their giggles and cheers accompanied by his warm chuckles and teasing growls.

The children scrambled over his broad shoulders, their laughter filling the air, smiles brightening the day. The trio shot each other mischievous looks before launching themselves at Edward to wrap his neck in a headlock. Edward, the six-foot-three, human climbing frame, chuckled; a sound that drew smiles from everybody around - especially Bella. She watched from the sidelines with a grin, snuggling her baby boy close. Edward's joy was loud, low, and rich, and laden with happiness.

To look at Edward was to see strength and love emanating from every pore. His fitted, baby blue, short-sleeved shirt showed off the definition of his chest, the sleeves straining around his flexing biceps as he wrestled with the children and playfully threw them around. As she watched, Chase ran over to join the chaos, plonking himself down in the grass. Edward slid over on his belly and cried out in pretend pain when Chase leaned forward with a grin to grasp his nose with his chubby fist.

It was almost impossible to match this playful, jovial side of Edward to the far more serious version of him that Esme had described to Bella a few nights previous.

" _Did he go down okay?"_

 _Esme smiled warmly, resting a hand on Bella's shoulder as she sank into the seat beside the younger woman. "He was out like a light. Little love didn't even stir when I tucked him in."_

" _Good," Bella breathed, relaxing. Bodhi had been struggling with his teeth for the past few nights, and though she'd been grateful of Esme's offer of help with him this evening, Bella had worried that Bodhi would be unable to settle without her. But she was so tired, and in desperate need of a hot soak in the bath, and Esme_ had _offered…_

" _Oh…"_

 _Bella followed Esme's gaze, unable to withhold her smile when she spotted the reason for Esme's, suddenly teary eyed, sharp inhale of breath._

" _It's lovely, isn't it?"_

 _Esme nodded, reaching out to pick up the photo. She traced Edward's crooked grin with her fingertip, then Marley's wild curls and Bodhi's gummy smile. "It's beautiful! When was this?"_

" _Um, Thursday? No, Friday. After his meeting."_

 _Esme nodded, her expression bearing a hint of seriousness. It piqued Bella's curiosity._

" _Esme?"_

" _Yes, honey?"_

" _What was his meeting about? I mean, he said it was work, but...well, I don't think I even really understand what he does for a living."_

 _As Esme pulled Charlie's laptop over and booted it up, she murmured, "it'll be easier to show you, I think."_

 _A few minutes passed and left Bella agog at how quickly Esme could use the computer. She still struggled just to find the power button, let alone type so quickly. The screen changed, Esme pulling up a page Bella recognized. Marley had quite the YouTube addiction at one point, back in Montana when she was discovering television and cartoons for the first time. Thankfully, she far preferred toys and human interaction now, but her love of SpongeBob hadn't waned - nor had her love of watching dog videos on YouTube._

 _Esme clicked through a few links, typed in her email and password, and up came a page for one, Edward Cullen. His face appeared on the left hand side with a collection of videos below, all with his name in the title section along with the name of the songs._

" _This is his music channel, where he posts all of his covers."_

" _And he earns money like this?" Bella asked with obvious wonder, reaching out to touch his face. The photo he'd chosen was simple; a headshot with his crooked smile and emerald eyes filling up the display._

" _He does. I don't really understand it all that well myself, but I believe the website pays him for the amount of views he gets. He or Carlisle would be able to explain better. Edward is so talented that he could have probably done so much more, but it never appealed. He's been content with his lot." Esme turned to Bella, pride shining within her eyes._

 _She wasn't biologically related to Edward but in that moment, Bella could see Edward in Esme's face. The look of love and pride she wore for him was identical to the look that always, without fail, took over his face when he looked at Marley and Bodhi._

" _Carlisle and I, we've offered to help him, but he's been happy with what he had. When he got his trust fund from his paternal grandparents he invested it wisely, with Carlisle's advice, and then start work on the house in Italy. He's always been content with his home, his singing here," she paused to point at the laptop screen, "and his woodworking. It's always been enough for him. I do wonder if that's still the case, but he hasn't said anything, so I don't like to push."_

 _Bella frowned. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it still be enough to make him happy?"_

 _Esme's eyes were warm and intensely knowing as she laughed lightly. "Oh, sweet girl, he's told you, hasn't he? That he loves you? How could he possibly return to the life he had before, now that he knows what it's truly like to like to live and be happy? He wasn't before. Happy, I mean. Not in all the ways that count. Here, look."_

 _Esme scrolled down, selecting a video. Up it came, Edward's handsome face sideways on the camera. He was sitting in front of a piano dressed in a simple black t-shirt and gray trousers. He began to sing a song Bella didn't recognize; the title revealed its name to be Chasing Cars. It was haunting and intense, melancholy and over all too soon._

" _This was three years ago," Esme said quietly, pressing buttons to return to the first screen. Bella's eyes found Edward's once again, her heart starting to race as Esme clicked on a video dated only a month previous._

 _May 5th, 2017._

 _It was entitled Can I – Tedy (EC Cover.)_

 _Bella wasn't a music buff by any stretch of the imagination, so it came as no surprise to her when she didn't recognize the song by name or tune._

 _Twelve seconds in, Bella inhaled a sharp breath._

" _Can I trust you? Does your smile hide lies? Can I jump in, and close my eyes? Can you tell me that you'll be here, for all the little things? Can I lay here, in your arms?" The pitch and volume of Edward voice changed, goosebumps rising in a Mexican wave over her body._

" _Can I love you? Would it be alright?"_

 _Tears tumbled over Bella's cheeks, her hand absentmindedly reaching up to dash them away as she listened._

" _Can I wait here, when you say goodbye? Cause I've been hurt. Can I try? To just believe, you'll never let me go."_

 _Blood rushed through Bella's veins as she watched Edward play the piano. His fingers, long and elegant, worked the keys as though they owned them. His body was hunched slightly over the baby grand and his body moved in a wave as he played, his entire being caught up in the music._

 _As he sung the next lyric, Bella was sure she saw a wince cross his features._

" _Say you need me by your side. And I will hold your hand 'til the end of time."_

 _Lost in his expressions and movement, Bella's attention snapped back to the actual words when, with an almost pained look on his face, Edward sang, "can I love you? Would it be alright?"_

 _The deep music paired with Edward's compelling vocals were creating a tumultuous cacophony of emotions within Bella's mind and heart. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't feel anything but the notes imprinting themselves on her soul._

 _When the music tapered out, leaving silence in its wake, Bella finally relaxed her taut muscles; only then did she realize just how tense she'd been._

" _So you see, don't you? How different the two were?"_

 _Bella nodded slowly, too choked up to speak just yet. The intensity in both was immense. But in the second piece, Edward had been visibly invested; in the words he sang and the notes he played. He'd meant it. Really, truly meant it. And, like Bella, he'd felt every single nuance of the song._

" _Edward stayed in England for two years after you and Rosalie were taken, then he returned to Italy. He visited often, of course, but he wasn't the same boy. He'd lost his endless optimism after seeing how cruel the world could really be. He found music and it did help, for a time. I don't want to betray Edward's confidence, but his parents went through a trial separation in 2007, which affected him deeply, too." Esme sighed, nostalgia clouding her eyes. "He was a very serious young man for a long time. It broke our hearts, Carlisle and me, to see him lose his spark and become so isolated. So you see, that's why we're all so happy to have him home again. To have him smiling and laughing like he does when he's with you and the children."_

As Edward carefully tipped the children over into the grass where he knelt, Bella winced. His shirt rode up to expose the messy scar on his side. It wasn't the appearance that garnered the wince from Bella; he was beautiful, regardless. It was the reminder of the pain he'd had to endure to bring him to this point.

To bring him to her.

In the year Edward and Bella had been reunited, the large man and all his traits had become dear to her.

His joviality, loud nature, and optimistic spirit.

His softness, tenderness, and love for all the children.

The way he fit so perfectly in her family.

His adoration for Marley and Bodhi.

The way he cradled her daughter as he threw her over one shoulder, Carl-Roman and Dave draping themselves over his lap and shoulder with wide grins on their faces…

These things told her more than enough about his character.

Edward bore the beginnings of a crooked smile, hints of his dimples lending him an almost cherubic look. It was tempered by the beginnings of a five o'clock shadow, giving him a rugged edge. The grass green of his eyes was a sharp contrast to the copper-colored mop on top of his head and as he rose to stand and stomp around the garden making dinosaur noises, Bella didn't worry for the children dangling from his six-foot-three frame.

She trusted him completely.

It was difficult to believe that just a year and a half ago he'd been nothing more than a memory of a stolen childhood.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Come on, Carl-Roman! Enough splashing in the sink, please."

" _All right, Auntie Bella. Just comin'!_ "

Bella huffed, but she was smiling as she waited for Carl-Roman to leave the bathroom. Bodhi babbled happily in her arms, content to munch on his prawn cocktail _Skips._ He had two in each chubby fist and several mashed into his curls.

The bathroom door flew open, Carl-Roman grinning wide as he shot past Bella and ran down the stairs.

Bella quickly took care of business before following him, and was just getting to the bottom of the stairs as Esme began closing the front door.

"Who was that?"

Esme shrugged. "A nice young man. I think he had the wrong address, poor love."

As Esme swung the door closed, Bella caught a quick glimpse of the man climbing into a small car on the other side of the road. He looked familiar, but somehow not; she couldn't place him.

" _Bella, Es! We're doing the cake!_ "

Carlisle's voice from the kitchen distracted Bella and Esme, the duo heading through to the garden where everybody was gathered around the table. A large chocolate cake sat in the center, decorated with hundreds of sprinkles and shiny, silver balls. There was frosting all the way round, and once Archie had blown out his candles and cut the cake at the children's insistence, everybody cheered when the multi-colored layers became visible.

"Ooh, a rainbow!" Marley breathed from Edward's shoulders, leaning with her elbows on his head, face resting in the 'v' of her cupped hands.

Edward tickled her feet, grinning at the giggles it earned him. She reached down and cupped his chin, tipping his face up toward her. Bella heard the quiet _click_ of a camera; Rosalie was a few feet away, camera pointing right at Edward and Marley's matching, goofy grins.

"You know, little sweet, I have it on good authority that the cupcakes have rainbows inside, too."

Marley's little face lit up. Hours of charging around with her cousins had left her with a wild mane of chocolate curls, rosy cheeks, and bright eyes. Edward's admission put the widest of smiles on her face. "Really?"

"Mmhm. Shall we go check?"

"Yessss!" She gently tugged at his mess of bronze hair, then caught Bella's gaze. "Mamma, you gotta come! Edward said there are _rainbow cupcakes!_ "

Bella shook her head with a little laugh and followed Edward and Marley over to the buffet table, Bodhi leaning forward in her arms to try and grab at the multi-colored icing on top of the cupcakes. She took one with minimal frosting and broke a piece of cake off, holding it out to him as Marley selected hers – frosted with a mountain of red buttercream.

Bodhi chowed down without reservation, smashing the fistful of cake against his grin as Bella laughed at him.

"Looks like the little man's enjoying his cake," Edward chuckled, the sound sending ripples of butterflies through Bella's stomach.

She peered up at him through her lashes, unable to stop herself from staring. His eyes were so beautifully vivid, so entrancingly green, interspersed with specks of gold, brown, and blue. A month in Italy as well as his usually tanned complexion had left him with a gorgeous, honey tone to his skin, and his long, thick lashes brushed chiseled cheekbones every time he blinked.

The ice blue, short-sleeved cotton shirt he'd chosen complimented his tan and fit him perfectly. Bella could see the definition of his muscles, but it wasn't obnoxiously tight. He'd paired it with cream cargo shorts identical to Bodhi's and was wearing the brown boat shoes again; Bella was fairly certain he'd had coaching on what to wear from a meddling, six-year-old girl.

"MamaMA!"

Bella was yanked from her perusal of Edward by her son. She looked down at his cake-covered face in wonder, blinking owlishly. Edward laughed, but the sound was shaky, and when she glanced at him, he had tears gathering in his eyes.

"Did you say 'Mamma,' baby Bodhi? Did you? Did you say 'Mamma?'" Marley cooed excitedly, wiggling on Edward's shoulders.

Bodhi grinned, delighted with the attention he was getting. He smacked his frosting-covered hands against Bella's chest; she wasn't in the least bit bothered about the mess. "Ahhhhmamabah!" he babbled, big, blue-green eyes happy and guileless. Smiling through her slight pang of disappointment, Bella reached up to brush a rogue curl from his forehead.

"He's just vocalizing," she murmured.

Edward shook his head and cleared his throat, reaching out for Bodhi. Bella handed him over just as her name was called from inside.

"Are you okay with them for a sec?"

Nodding, Edward gently tickled Bodhi's chubby thigh, grinning at the resulting belly-chuckles as Bella walked toward the house. She was just a few steps away from the door when she heard it.

Bella spun and froze, her smile wide and face damp with the tears that overflowed as she found Bodhi, still in Edward's arms but reaching as far toward her as possible, hands outstretched and grabbing the air as he repeated the same word over and over, sweet brows furrowed and chunky legs kicking.

"Mamma! Mamma, Mamma, Mamma!"

Not that she noticed, but the entire garden was watching as Bella all but sprinted back to her baby, scooping him from Edward's arms to smother his face in kisses. Marley cheered upon Edward's shoulders; he held one of her legs with one hand, reaching out to brush tears from Bella's cheeks with the other.

"He's saying it, isn't he?" Bella asked in a choked whisper.

Edward nodded, his grin a mile wide and bookended by a twin pair of dimples. A single tear rolled down his cheek, pausing in the curve of his smile before tumbling over his chin. "Yeah, he is."

Bodhi smiled his two-toothy grin, patting Bella's cheeks. "Mamma!"

Bella sniffled, giving her sweet boy an Eskimo kiss. "That's right, baby boy. I'm your mamma."

Looking up at Edward, Bella both saw and felt his pride. She had a strange sense of camaraderie, a feeling of knowing that he was there with her, that she wasn't alone in raising this baby boy and his sister.

For the first time, she realized that it had been this way ever since she came home. She'd recognized Edward's, almost parental role in Marley's life before but had never really considered how it would grow and extend.

It had, and would continue to do so because he adored her, and she idolized him. Bodhi, too. Even though he was a total mamma's boy, Bodhi was always overjoyed to see Edward. He came in a close third behind Bella and Marley on Bodhi's list of favorite people.

If she was honest with herself, Bella probably would have admitted that Edward was definitely Marley's number one. The sun rose and set with Edward, in her daughter's eyes; Bella was only now starting to realize that she felt the same way.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Thanks for coming, squirt. And thanks for my presents."

Bella smiled, hugging Archie around the neck with her free arm; Bodhi was fast asleep against her shoulder, his drool running down her back. "You're welcome, Arch. Thank you for having us. Did you have a good day?"

Archie grinned. "The best."

"Bye, Zio Archi-ee!" Marley sang as she ran up the pathway and scaled her uncle's legs.

"Uh, I think you're supposed to be in the car, little lady," Archie chuckled, holding her tight for a cuddle anyway.

"I gots'ta give you one last birthday, squeezy cuddle though!"

"All right. Well, thank you, Mars."

Marley squeezed Archie tight, pressed a smacking kiss to his cheek, and scrambled down, running to the car where Charlie waited with an indulgent smile. As he buckled her into her car seat, Edward joined Archie and Bella on the doorstep.

"Happy birthday, man. See you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Definitely. We're meeting at the park, aren't we?"

"Yep." Edward turned his gaze to Bella. "You want me to take the little man?"

She shook her head. He was killing her arm, but like Marley, it wouldn't be long before he was too big and too cool to want cuddles from his mummy. "It's okay. Thank you, though. All right, I'm going to get these babies home to bed. See you tomorrow for dinner, okay?"

Archie nodded, leaning in to kiss his nephew's curl-covered head and shake Edward's hand. "See ya, guys. Thanks again for today!"

Bella managed to strap Bodhi into his seat without waking him, and Marley soon joined her little brother in the land of nod. When they reached home, Edward murmured that he'd get her, so Bella carefully carried Bodhi inside with Charlie walking ahead to unlock the door. When she turned to check that Edward was right behind them she couldn't help but swallow hard and inhale a sharp breath.

He was walking up the path carrying Marley bridal style, her little head tucked against his shoulder, one hand slung up around his neck, the other clenched in the material of his shirt. As he walked, Edward leaned down to kiss her forehead, the serene smile on his face almost angelic. Bella wished she had a camera in hand, though even without a photo she knew she'd never forget the loving look on Edward's face as he stared down at Marley.

It was the look of a father gazing at his daughter.

"You coming in, Bella?"

"Yes! Um, yeah, I am." Bella quickly hurried inside, darting up the stairs with Bodhi after tossing a 'goodnight' over her shoulder. She managed to settle Bodhi in his crib and turned just in time to see Edward enter her room with Marley.

"Do you want her sleeping in this, or…?"

Bella debated. If she undressed Marley and woke her, it was unlikely she'd get her back to sleep again. But it was hot in the bedroom, and Marley often woke in the night if she was too warm. "I'd better take it off, or she'll get too hot."

Edward nodded, slowly resting Marley on the edge of her bed in an almost upright position. She was just vertical enough that Bella managed to slip the dress over her head, leaving her in just a white vest and her undies once she'd carefully removed her shoes. He leaned down and kissed her mop of chocolate curls. Bella couldn't watch.

"All right, I'm going to head home. Thanks for a lovely day, Bella."

Uncharacteristically nervous around Edward, Bella whispered her 'you're welcome, thank you for all your help' and ducked her head when Edward offered her a parting smile. When she heard the soft _click_ of her bedroom door closing behind him, she let her head fall back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, her heart racing, stomach churning.

"What am I doing?" She whispered into the otherwise silent room.

For the first time, Bella wondered if she should let Edward continue acting the way he did with Marley and Bodhi. She'd seen Archie with his boys, Jasper with Clarke and Dave, and if she didn't know better, she'd think Edward was Marley and Bodhi's dad, based on their interactions. It was heartwarming to see and Bella loved that they had so many positive role models in their lives.

But was it fair? On them, or on Edward?

Sure, he didn't seem to have any plans to leave right now, but he would eventually. And where would that leave Marley and Bodhi?

Where would that leave her?

With two heartbroken children and a broken heart of her own to deal with.

Looking between Marley's sleeping face and Bodhi's, their expressions relaxed and content, Bella felt her heart fall. She knew that it wasn't wise to let the children grow any closer to Edward, and vice versa.

Bella knew that, but she wasn't fully prepared for just how much it would hurt to begin weaning them off each other's company.

Nor was she prepared for how suddenly she'd have to put their long-distance relationship practice to the test.

 **~ oOo ~**

Edward froze, his hand holding the key in the lock, and his phone raised to his ear. "What…what do you mean, 'Nonno's had an accident?' Nonna, what's going on?"

" _Tesoro_ , treasure _, Nonno fell. He hit his head and they think…"_ Contessa sniffled, breaking her grandson's heart from over a thousand miles away. _"They think it was a heart attack. Will you…will you come? Will you come home?"_

Edward turned, gazing back at the house he'd just left; thinking of the family he'd soon be leaving behind.

He already knew the answer to his nonna's question.

He already knew that he'd be going. He had to go.

He just didn't know how he was ever going to be able to leave.


	37. Chapter Thirty-Five

**No - your eyes do not deceive you! This IS an update.  
I made a booboo and long story short, this chapter  
should have posted a week ago but I didn't get  
around to it, so here it is :)**

SunflowerFran **has been on vacation, so  
** annaharding **and I took on this beastly chapter by ourselves.  
** **I tinkered a fair bit at the last second, so any and all mistakes  
** **are mine.**

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF  
** **Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
** **your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
** **summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **I've loved reading your reviews again this past ten days.  
You're all wonderful people and I'll miss you dearly when  
this wraps in just a few chapters :(  
**

 **That said, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that I have  
not one, but THREE epilogues ready to go once the  
regular chapters are done, so there is that :D**

 **Anyway...I don't think many of you will be surprised  
with this one ;)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-Five**

Monday came far too soon.

Edward told everybody about his return to Italy first thing Sunday morning, but hadn't been able to get a flight out until Monday morning.

It was almost worse that way; knowing he was leaving, but being unable to think about it.

Enrico was stable according to Contessa, but the doctors advised family to get there as soon as possible. It wasn't looking good for him. At seventy-seven he was no spring chicken and the heart attack had knocked him for six.

Edward spent all of Sunday alternately worrying about his Nonno and Nonna, and Bella and Marley.

By the time five a.m. rolled around on Monday morning, Edward felt sick with nerves. Charlie had volunteered to drive him to the airport so he'd said 'goodbye' to his aunt and uncle, who'd be flying out later that same day, and walked down the street to meet Charlie at the car. He was surprised to find that he wasn't alone out there on the driveway.

"Bella?"

Bella stood beside her father's car, lit only by the sunrise painting the sky red and orange. She had Bodhi over one shoulder chewing sleepily on his hand and Marley sitting on her other hip, her face tucked into Bella's neck and hidden by the curtain of her hair.

"I…I thought we'd come out to say—"

"Bella? What are you doing out here?" Charlie appeared in the doorway, confusion knotting his brows as he raised the key fob and pressed the button to unlock the car. The sound of the locks disengaging was loud in the silent street.

"We just came out to see you off," she murmured softly, apparently unable to look at her father or Edward; her eyes were fixed on Marley's jiggling, slipper-clad feet locked against her hip, below Bodhi.

"Oh, okay." Charlie had always been an observant man. He'd also come to accept that his daughter wasn't a baby anymore, or even a little girl. She was a young woman with babies of her own – and a man she was in love with, whether she'd admitted it to herself or anyone else, or not. It was for this reason that he tamped back his sadness at no longer being his daughter's number one and motioned toward the car, saying, "I'm gonna get in and warm the engine up. You've got a few minutes before we need to go."

Edward nodded, reaching up to adjust his cap by tugging at the peak. "Sure, Chuck."

The sound of Charlie starting the engine made Bella jump slightly even though she'd expected it. Her movement startled Marley, who peered out from behind Bella's hair at the offending noise. Then she spotted Edward and her beautiful eyes filled with fat tears that tumbled over her rosy cheeks; she'd already been crying.

The sight of his favorite little girl so obviously distressed broke Edward's heart.

"Little sweet, hey, it's okay."

Edward couldn't help himself. He had to go to her.

Three long strides had him standing in front of Bella, where he reached up to cup Marley's cheek. She reminded him of the puppies he'd seen in adverts for rescue shelters. Her eyes were wide and sad, her forever smile turned down. Edward's heart splintered when her lower lip jutted out and wobbled.

"You're leaving!" She accused softly, her small voice trembling.

"Only for—" Edward trailed off. He couldn't promise that he'd only be gone for a few days, a week, or even two weeks. He had no idea how long he'd be away for, how long his nonna would need him.

At Edward's lack of response Marley's sniffles turned into sobs, then wails as she buried her face in Bella's neck and clung on tight. Poor Bodhi didn't know what to do with himself and soon joined in; Edward held his hands out and took the squalling baby boy, soothing him against his chest as Bella whispered to her daughter in an attempt to calm her.

"Bu-but he's go-going, Mamma!" Marley cried, tearing Edward's heart to shreds and stomping on it with her next words. "He d-doesn't love us!"

Edward couldn't bear it any longer. He stepped closer and placed his hand on Marley's back, gently tapping her to get her attention. She turned to face him with an accusing, distraught look on her tear-stained face.

"Hey, don't ever say that, okay? Don't even think it, little sweet. I love you all more than anything. You and your mamma and brother are my world. But my nonno is sick, little sweet. Nonno Enrico is sick, and I've got to go help Nonna look after him." Edward sucked in a deep breath, forcing a weak smile as he thumbed a tear from Marley's cheek. "I can't promise that I'll be back tomorrow, but I'll be back just as soon as Nonno is better. I'll call every day and video chat you every bedtime. You won't even miss me, you'll be so sick of talking to me."

Marley sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her pajama top. "I will," she told him sternly. "I'll miss you lots and lots."

"Oh, little sweet, I'll miss you too."

Charlie revved the engine ever so slightly – just enough that Edward realized he'd done it on purpose.

It was time to go.

"Can I have a hug before I go, please?"

Marley hesitated before nodding tentatively and reaching for him. He kept Bodhi and held them both tight to his chest, greedily inhaling their combined scent of baby shampoo and Marley's strawberry children's perfume.

 _God, I'm going to miss you,_ he thought, feeling the telltale prickle of tears. _This is too hard_.

"Edward, buddy, I hate to rush you…" Charlie called softly when, a few minutes later, Edward still hadn't relinquished the children back to their mother.

Edward winced, feeling Marley's grip tightening around his neck. "Little sweet…" he whispered, his heart breaking all over again as she began to shake with sobs.

"Hand her here," Bella said quietly. Edward handed Bodhi over first, then gently pried Marley's hands from behind his neck and pressed a kiss to her head. Instead of clinging tighter like he expected, she squirmed free of his hands and kicked him in the shin before running into the house.

"Bella, I—"

"It's okay," she murmured sadly, managing the smallest, weakest of smiles; it didn't reach her eyes. "You've got to go. Give Enrico and Connie hugs from all of us. I hope Enrico feels better soon."

Edward searched her face. She didn't appear angry, just resigned. "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

With one last sad, upward twist of her lips, Bella turned and carried Bodhi inside, closing the door silently behind her.

Edward had never felt so miserable.

 **~ oOo ~**

" _Good afternoon passengers. This is your pre-flight announcement for British Airways flight 54A to Rome. We'd like to invite those of you with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding. Please ensure you have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately fifteen minutes. Thank you!"_

Edward sighed, double-checking his ticket. _Seat_ _13A._ "At least it's a window seat," he muttered to himself, stowing the book he'd brought along to read until his flight but hadn't actually touched. He'd been at the airport for almost five hours by then, his flight having been delayed for two hours because of a mix-up on the runway.

Edward was bored, hungry, and missing Bella, Marley, and Bodhi. He'd scrolled through the photo album on his phone named 'Little Sweet and Bo' twice, and dialed Bella's number more times than he could recall; not once had he pressed 'call' though. He'd distracted himself by wandering through duty free before finding an empty table in _McDonalds_ and treating himself to a chocolate milkshake. Oh, and messaging his dad. Antonio had confirmed what Contessa had already told Edward; Enrico was stable, but his prognosis was not good.

Realizing that he still had to cross the airport to get to his gate, Edward tossed his trash in the nearest bin and shouldered his rucksack as he weaved through the throngs of busy travellers. One of the airlines was running a promotion in the main departure terminal and there were crowds of people gathered around four people on pedestals. As Edward passed the one nearest him he smiled, recognizing the iconic Madonna outfit. An elderly lady was posing with the Madonna impersonator as Edward paused to let a large group of Japanese students pass. 'Madonna' had her hands in her hair and a sly smile on her face as the elderly woman's giggly friends snapped photos of them together.

 _Hold on…_

Edward shook his head, muttering a curse. He thought he saw… _but no_. It couldn't be.

Madonna and her friend parted ways, Edward unable to resist stretching onto tiptoes to scan the sea of heads behind them. Even though he'd known it was impossible, that they weren't there, Edward was still disappointed when he couldn't see Bella and Marley, like he'd just thought he had.

"Get a grip, Cullen," he mumbled, hoisting his bag further onto his shoulder and marching in the direction of gate twelve, where he'd soon be boarding. As he approached the gate he quickly sent two messages; one to his dad, to tell him that he was about to board, and one to Bella, to check on her and the kids. Phone shoved back into his pocket, Edward fished his passport from his coat and was about to join the queue when he heard it.

Footsteps. Rapid footsteps on the tiled floor. Edward shook off the jolt of recognition; it sounded like Marley charging around in her pawpaw's kitchen.

"Edwaaaaard!"

 _No…_

In his hurry to turn, Edward almost hit a woman trying to go around him to join the queue. She gave him a filthy look before huffing and going ahead. Immediately, Edward spotted her.

Flip-flops smacked the tiles, hair streamed in crazy chocolate waves behind her head, and a beloved stuffed bunny was being dragged along by his ears by the most beautiful sight Edward could imagine.

"Little sweet!" Edward threw his rucksack to the floor, opened his arms, and sank into a crouch just as Marley reached him. Her small body hit his chest full-force as she threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. "What are you doing here?"

Marley sighed, shaking with the force of her panted breaths. "We thought…we'd missed…you, Edward!" She pulled back, sparkling blue-green eyes filling Edward with such an intense sense of joy that he almost burst into tears. "We came…to find you…but you weren't here!"

"We?"

"Hey, Edward."

Edward's gaze flew up, finding Bella a few feet away. She had Bodhi tucked against her hip, a pull-along bag at her side, and a bashful, nervous half-smile on her pretty face. "You…how?"

Bella frowned as she sighed and moved slightly closer. "Archie came over just after you left. He and Kristen…Well, she's gone away, and left the boys with him…" she trailed off, and it took a second or two for Edward to catch onto what she was saying. "Anyway, he pointed out that it was dumb of me to think we could just…let you go."

Marley tapped Edward's cheeks, apparently having caught her breath. She beamed, flashing two rows of pearly white baby teeth. "We're comin' to see Nonno with you!"

"Oh…" Edward breathed, taken aback and more than a little overwhelmed.

He was sad for his friend, who'd put so much effort into his relationship even when Kristen made it difficult. And he was sad for Carl-Roman and Chase, who loved their mother despite her faults. But he was also relieved for them, because with time they'd be able to move on and be happy without Kristen's absence weighing them down or holding them back.

And as for Bella, Marley, and Bodhi going to Italy with him…well, the wide, crooked grin spreading across his face was telling.

"You are?"

Marley nodded hard. "Uh-huh. Mamma says I gotta give Nonno and Nonna lotsa 'mooches and hugs."

Edward turned his gaze back to Bella; she still looked nervous. "You're coming? All of you?"

"Mmhm, if that's okay? I mean, I don't want to intrude—"

"Thank you."

Bella frowned. "Umm, what?"

"For coming." Edward stood and covered the remaining distance between him and Bella in two long strides, carrying Marley with him. He crushed her and Bodhi between his body and Bella's, a shuddering exhale making the little boy giggle as it tickled him.

"Eh-eh-eh!" He cried, reaching for Edward when he stepped back. He took the baby willingly, leaning in to gently bump his forehead against Bodhi's. Bella's eyes filled with tears as she watched the tender moment between man and baby. They were miles apart in appearance, with Edward's dark, coppery brown hair beside Bodhi's almost white-blond curls, but in that moment, they could've been father and son.

Bella watched a tear tumble over Edward's cheek as Bodhi reached up to squish his face between chubby, baby hands. As he pulled away Edward gave the baby an Eskimo kiss and sniffled.

" _This is the boarding call for British Airways flight 54A to Rome. We would now like to invite passengers to begin boarding. Please ensure you have your boarding pass and identification ready. Thank you!"_

"Uh, that's us."

Bella nodded, her lips curling upward in a slight smile.

"We should go..."

"Mmhm."

Edward couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't bring himself to pull his gaze from Bella and Marley, in case they disappeared. He squeezed Bodhi instinctively, delighting in the giggle it drew from him. He was a warm, heavy reminder that they weren't a figment of his imagination; he wasn't dreaming.

"I can't believe you came for me."

"To be honest, it wasn't just for you," Bella admitted. "I couldn't… _we_ couldn't just let you go alone."

Edward exhaled hard as he searched Bella's expression, finding nothing but honest vulnerability. His heart raced as he thought he might see a spot of something else, a tiny thread of an emotion he'd only dreamed of seeing in her eyes.

"Eh-eh!" Bodhi dragged Edward's attention away from Bella, flashing his two teeth in a broad smile as he tugged on Edward's nose.

"All right, _tesoro_. Let's get going, shall we?"

Forcing himself not to dwell on what he might or might not have seen in Bella's eyes, Edward adjusted Bodhi and scooped his rucksack from the floor, heading toward the kiosks to get to the boarding gate, Bella and Marley a few steps behind.

 **~ oOo ~**

It wasn't until they were sitting together on the plane during their ascent into the sky, Bodhi on Edward's lap, Marley to their left in the window seat, and Bella to Edward's right, that he realized something.

"Uh, Bella?"

"Yeah?" She peered up at him, guileless azure eyes enchanting him for a moment.

"Umm, well I just wondered…how did you get these seats?"

Bella rolled her eyes and rested her head back against the seat. "Riley. Dad called him after we left home, and he sent me this text when we were almost at the airport…" She pulled her phone from her pocket, opening up the conversation named 'Riley.'

 **R –** Seats 13B and 13C. Enjoy.

 **B –** What have you done, Riley? Xx

 **R** – Stop being nosy. Say 'hi' to your man for me.

Edward's lips curled up in a wide, crooked, double-dimpled grin. _Your man_.

"We were going to just buy the cheapest tickets available and get on with it, but when we got here there was a man with my name on a big piece of cardboard by the arrivals sign. He handed me the tickets and said to enjoy our trip; that was it."

With a chuckle, Edward reached up and adjusted his backwards cap. "So I have Riley to thank?"

"Yeah, pretty much. He's too much, sometimes."

"Ooh, Edward, look! Look at the pretty clouds!"

Turning from one of his favorite girls to the other, Edward grinned and leaned in to peer out the window. There were clouds in all different shades of white and gray, the ground disappearing rapidly as they raced ever upward into the sky. The sun was high in its perch, sunlight making the clouds glow white the higher up they flew.

Marley sighed, the sound sweet and relaxed.

"Are you okay, little sweet?"

She glanced up at him. "Edward, I'm glad you didn't go without us."

A jolt of happiness spread through his veins as he took in her precious face. She had a sweet button nose, Cupid's bow mouth, and sun-freckled cheeks framed by bouncy, chocolate ringlets. Marley's eyes were her defining feature though. Wide, bright, and expressive beyond comprehension, her gaze was just as enrapturing as her mother's. A year with her family had lent her a new wisdom and sense of intelligence, but her innocence still shone through in her guileless eyes and loving spirit. As Edward gazed down at Marley with love swelling in his chest, he realized that all the things Carlisle and Esme had told him over the years, all the diatribes about the love he would feel for his children if he ever had them, were true.

Marley wasn't his child, and Bodhi wasn't either. But as Marley offered him a cheeky smile and Bodhi shifted in his lap to reach up and stroke his five 'o clock shadow, Edward was absolutely certain that he knew what Carlisle and Esme meant. The love for them was all encompassing and overwhelming in its warmth.

"I'm glad, too. Thank you for coming with me, little sweet."

"S'okay." Marley leaned in to Eskimo kiss her brother, then caught Bella's gaze. "Mamma, can I have my coloring book? Please?"

"Of course, baby. One second…" Bella dug through her bag, fishing out a box of crayons and Marley's coloring book. Once Marley was sitting comfortably with her fold-out table pulled down, Bella passed them across Edward and Bodhi.

"Thank you, Mamma."

"MammamaMA!"

"All right, big guy," Bella laughed at her rowdy son, taking him from Edward's lap when he reached for her. She stood him on her knees, smiling when he immediately started bobbing up and down on his chunky legs. "He loves doing this," she murmured.

Edward grinned, asking, "do you think he'll be walking soon?"

"Probably." Bella sighed wistfully. "He's already crawling really well. He'll probably start complaining soon that he wants to get down to crawl around."

"And I've seen him pull himself up, so it won't be long before he's walking along stuff, if not just full-on running everywhere."

Edward almost welled up thinking about the first time he'd seen Bodhi pull himself up.

" _Edward, look! Quick, come here!"_

 _Edward quickly set down the orange juice he'd been pouring and stepped into the living room, a huge, crooked grin spreading across his face when he spotted Marley and Bodhi. They were exactly where he'd left them a few minutes ago – both laying on their backs on the floor, their heads parallel so they could 'talk' to one another._

 _As he watched, Bodhi rolled himself over onto his belly, planking with a big, two-toothy grin for his beloved sister before he pushed up on his hands and knees and took off toward the coffee table. It had been pushed out of the way while the babies, Carl-Roman, and Marley played, but Carl-Roman and Chase had gone home now, leaving Marley and Bodhi to roll around to their hearts content. Apparently, Bodhi was bored with staying still._

" _Watch this, Edward. It's sooo cool." Edward chuckled, in love with how much Marley adored her baby brother._

 _Edward's eyes were trained on Bodhi as he stopped in front of the coffee table, looking up at it for a few seconds before sitting back on his legs and contemplating his task. With a determined little frown on his face he reached up, grabbing at the edge of the table. Once he had a firm grip he grunted and pulled hard until he was on his feet, clutching at the table-top with both hands as he turned to shoot his sister a wide, proud smile._

" _Well done, baby Beesy!" she cooed, using the nickname she and Edward had come up with when they put together his first three initials for a family tree they made – B. E. C. Marley had giggled and said it sounded like 'Beesy,' and it was beginning to stick. "You're so clever, yes you are, yes you are." Marley planted loud kisses all over Bodhi's head and face, tickling his chubby belly until he gave her the full-on belly chuckles she was hoping for, dropping back to the carpet to roll around on his back with his legs kicking in delight._

 _Later that day, Bella had cried with laughter when Edward showed her the video he'd managed to take of Marley tickling Bodhi, then she'd informed him that he absolutely had to send it to her along with the two photos he'd taken. The first was of Marley and Bodhi lying beside one another, Marley's arm tucked around Bodhi. The second was of the duo curled together on the sofa an hour later, fast asleep and angelic with relaxed faces and crazy curly hair._

"Eh-eh!"

Edward was pulled from his memories by Bodhi's cheerful call. He grinned at the baby boy as Bella leaned in to kiss his mop of curls before passing him over to Edward. "I'm convinced he's trying to say your name," she murmured.

"Ah, he's just vocalizing. Isn't that what Esme said? That they all start doing this at his age?"

"Yeah, but he's almost got 'Mars' down, and he only ever makes that 'eh' noise when he wants you." A strange, wistful, almost sad look crossed Bella's face as she watched Bodhi lean in to bump his forehead against Edward's, Bodhi's hearty giggles drawing more than a few smiles from the passengers sitting nearby as Edward blew raspberries against his sweet, button nose.

It was such a beautiful sight; albeit, a bitter-sweet one.

Not for the first time, Bella foolishly wished that Edward could've been the father of her babies. He was so wonderful with them both, and they adored him. He was a brilliant man, inside and out, and it made her sad to think that her son and daughter would never get to feel the unconditional love of a dad. Sure, they had lots of family members and friends doting on them, but it wasn't the same. Bella got choked up thinking of her dad and their bond, knowing Marley and Bodhi wouldn't experience that for themselves.

 _He loves them…just like he loves you!_

Bella sighed, pretending to hunt through her bag when Edward shot her a questioning look.

Her subconscious had been getting louder and louder in recent weeks; ever since their return from Italy, Bella had been realizing what an idiot she was.

Edward's love shone through in everything he did. He woke early every morning and wandered down the street from his aunt and uncle's house, to Charlie's, where he would either take over with Bodhi's first feed if Bella was feeding him downstairs or make a start on breakfast so that she'd have less to do once Bodhi had finished eating. Now that Bodhi was on solids as well as his bottles, there was a lot more mess – Edward often took care of it while Bella cleaned Bodhi.

Then, Marley would join them in the kitchen. Usually, she scaled Edward and 'helped' him prepare whatever breakfast he'd begun making.

Bella had a framed drawing of her on Edward's hip, still dressed in her _101 Dalmatians_ pajamas as they cooked pancakes a few weeks previous. Edward was sporting only a pair of cropped, gray sweatpants and the slippers Marley picked out for him for his birthday back in April. Marley had her head resting against Edward's shoulder, her little arm wrapped tight around his back.

Every time Bella looked at the image on the wall above Marley's bed, she was hit with a pang of longing.

 _He loves them… just like he loves you!_ The ever-present voice called from the back of her mind.

Bella had to admit her subconscious painted a pretty picture. A sweet family unit; two parents and their two babies.

A dad for Marley and Bodhi.

But it wasn't that simple, was it? Could it possibly be as easy as Bella's mind accepting what her heart already knew?

Sometimes, while she watched her babies growing increasingly enamoured of Edward, Bella thought that it might be.

"Mamma, look! I drew us."

Bella pulled her head from the clouds and peered around Edward to better see Marley's latest artwork; inwardly, she sighed; outwardly, Bella plastered a smile across her face.

"That's brilliant, baby girl. Well done!"

Marley had drawn her favourite subjects. Edward and Bella were in the middle, holding hands of course, with Marley on Edward's hip, Bodhi on Bella's. They were all smiling goofily and surrounded by lots of red and pink hearts.

"This is 'cause we all love each other lots and lots," Marley added seriously, pointing to the hearts. "Right?"

Out of the corner of her eyes, Bella saw Edward grinning, his whole face lighting up as his dimples popped. "We sure do, little sweet."

He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her curly mop before giving Bodhi the same treatment against his nose. Bodhi found this hilarious and laughed loudly as he tugged on Edward's face.

 _Oh God, what is this man trying to do to me?_ Bella thought with a rising sense of resignation and dawning awareness. _I don't stand a chance against sights like this._

 **~ oOo ~**

"Edward, look! It's your house! I can see it, I can see it!"

Marley bounced in her seat, pointing at the looming house as it came into view.

Beside Bella in the front seat, Edward chuckled and nodded. "Well done, little sweet. You saw it first; that means you win a prize. What do you want as your reward?"

"Hmmm…" Bella twisted, eyeing her daughter's pensive expression before quickly checking on Bodhi. He was fast asleep in his car seat, snoring softly.

"You can always tell us later, little sweet, you don't have to decide now."

"'Kay. I'll tell you later."

They arrived at the garage then, Edward using the fob from the door compartment to open the door before driving into the empty space. His father, Antonio, had brought his car to the airport so they wouldn't have to wait for a cab or queue for a rental. Now, at almost seven p.m. and after travelling, he was ready to fall into bed and sleep for a week.

"Alright, everybody out."

Bella released Marley from her car-seat, meeting Edward at the trunk. He was carrying a sleepy Bodhi in one arm, the changing bag over the other. Edward's smile was soft as he eyed Marley, who was obviously tired, and her equally weary mother.

"Shall we head straight in to bed? Or are you hungry?"

"I'm okay. Baby girl, are you hungry?"

Marley frowned, holding her tummy. "A little bit."

"Alright, new plan. How about we build a fort and have a picnic inside? Then, when we're tired, we're already in bed."

"Yeah, a fort! Mamma, can we build a fort?"

Bella was exhausted - from the stress of waking yesterday to news of Edward's imminent departure; from trying to act upbeat about it even though the mere idea of him leaving was tearing her apart; from the sleepless night; and then the panicked rush to the airport to try and catch Edward before he left.

All she really wanted was to crawl into a bed somewhere, anywhere, and snuggle her babies.

A blanket fort full of her three favourite people sounded perfect for that.

"Sounds great to me!"

Marley cheered, bouncing a little. Seeing his sister obviously excited, Bodhi let out a high-pitched squeal and clapped his hands together as Edward carried him toward the house.

"All right, _tesoro._ I'm going as quick as I can!" Edward chuckled, expertly juggling the baby, bag, and his keys.

Bella trailed behind with Marley, unable to look away from the sight of Edward looking so domestic as he grinned at Bodhi, his _tesoro_ \- his treasure.

" _Killing me_ ," she mumbled under her breath, looking down at her feet and willing the butterflies flapping about in her stomach to settle down.

Marley tapped her mother's face, frowning with a slight tilt to her head. "What did you say, Mamma?"

Beet-red in the face, Bella refused to look at Edward - she could feel his gaze on her - and simply told her daughter, "nothing, baby girl. Look, shall we go inside? Edward's going in."

With Marley's attention successfully diverted, Bella breathed a sigh of relief and followed Edward into the house.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Mm-mm- _mmm_. Dee-licious!"

Bella and Edward laughed, watching Marley suck syrup from her tiny fingers. As usual, she'd drowned her pancakes. Bella had warned him to watch her with the bottle while she took Bodhi to change his nappy, but when she'd returned she found a sheepish Edward and a very pleased Marley holding a plate of syrup with a side of pancake.

"I'm glad it was up to your standards, little sweet."

Marley beamed. "It was _sooo_ good, Edward! Don't tell Pawpaw, but your pancakes are the best in the whole world, ever!"

Bella snorted, wiping Bodhi's face with a wet wipe before handing him his stuffed teddy bear. He flopped back into his _DockATot_ , content to suckle his beloved binky and cuddle his bear. Bella knew, thanks to his droopy eyes and minimal complaints about being laid down, that it wouldn't be long before he crashed.

As she glanced over at Marley, Bella knew it likely wouldn't be long before she, too, was asleep, even after the mountain of sugar she'd consumed.

Speaking of…

"C'mon baby girl, let's go get your teeth brushed and jammies on."

Marley hopped up, following her mother from the impressive blanket fort; Marley and Edward had erected it while Bella fed Bodhi. It took up almost the entire living room and was filled with two twin mattresses covered with any and all blankets or throws they'd been able to find. They'd also scoured the nearby bedrooms for a mountain of pillows, and Edward had removed the fairy lights from the mantle to cast a soft glow inside the tent. They were clipped to the sheet with pegs, which were also what they'd used to keep the edges of the blankets attached to the chairs forming the structure. It was almost womb-like, cosy and comfortable without being restrictive. Even Edward could sit up without crouching, though the top of his scruffy, copper 'do brushed the 'roof' on occasion if he ventured too near to the sides.

Bella and Marley made it to the bathroom without any wrong turns. Bella pulled the small, metal bin over to the sink, using it as a step-stool for Marley so she could reach the taps. Fishing through the toiletry bag she'd packed in a panic, she found Marley's _101 Dalmatians_ singing toothbrush and strawberry flavored toothpaste. Because Marley always liked to use half a tube, given the chance, she quickly put the pea-sized dollop on the end of the brush and passed it to Marley before she could protest. Thankfully, Marley was tired enough, and eager enough to get back to Edward and Bodhi in the fort, that she didn't argue and pushed the button to start the musical brush, scrubbing her teeth just like she'd been shown.

"Mamma, I like it here," she garbled a few seconds later around the end of the red toothbrush.

Bella, perched on the edge of the tub, smiled softly. "I do, too, baby girl."

"And I love Edward lots."

Bella's smile turned wistful. _There's that longing again. "_ I know you do. He loves you, too."

Marley scrubbed her teeth for a few more seconds. "Mamma, Edward loves you, too. Auntie Rose and Uncle Emmy said it. I heard them." She cocked her head, foam bursting from her mouth, blue-green eyes questioning. "Do _you_ love Edward?"

"Uh, I-Marley, it's not that…umm, of course I do."

It was impossible to miss the way Marley's expression brightened at her admission. "You do?"

 _More than I can explain to you, baby girl._ "Don't forget your front teeth," Bella murmured, smiling when Marley returned her gaze to the mirror to brush her front teeth.

 **~ oOo ~**

Edward lowered his hand, letting his fist fall to his side. He stepped away from the bathroom door and sighed, reaching up to remove his cap and run his free hand through his hair.

" _Umm, of course I do."_

" _Umm, of course I do."_

" _Umm, of course I do."_

"She does?" Edward whispered, unable to stifle the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Hearing Bella telling Marley to dry her face on the hand towel, he quickly hustled back to the living room with the covers he'd gone to retrieve from his room. He'd just settled on the floor outside the tent, after peeking in to check on Bodhi, who was fast asleep just as he was when Edward had left him, when Bella and Marley appeared in the doorway.

Bella frowned. "What are you doing out there?"

"I didn't know if you'd be comfortable with me," he waved toward the tent, abruptly feeling a bit stupid, "you know, sleeping in there with you guys."

Marley shot a withering look at Edward before rolling her eyes and clambering into the tent. "C'mon, Edward! You're being silly!"

Bella's expression switched from confused to frustrated within a second; Edward grinned, knowing how much she hated the eye-rolling.

"She's right; you _are_ being silly. Of course, you can stay in there with us."

Warmth bloomed in Edward's chest. He'd wanted to camp inside the fort with his favorite three people, of course, but he hadn't wanted to presume Bella would be comfortable with that arrangement.

 _Baby steps_ , Edward constantly had to remind himself.

Marley's huff was audible, even from Bella's and Edward's positions outside the fort. She stuck her head out of the opening, looking between the adults with a wide, mischievous smile. "I've decided what I want for my prize."

"Your prize?" Bella asked.

"Mmhm. You know, for seeing the house first? Edward said I can choose later, if I want." Marley looked to Edward, who was wearing a small smirk. "Edward, I want you to sleep in the fort with us. That's my prize."

"It's up to Mamma, little sweet."

Marley's eyes swiveled to Bella. The pleading, puppy-dog look would have broken Bella even if she _had_ wanted to say 'no.'

"Get in the fort, Edward," Bella sighed, waving him in with a smile.

Marley disappeared with a giggle and a soft cheer. Edward gestured for Bella to go ahead first, then failed miserably at averting his eyes from the view as she crawled into the fort, clad in just a pair of tight, black leggings and a loose tank top. When he made it inside a few seconds later, willing his over-eager body to calm itself, the sight was almost too adorable for him to bear.

Marley and Bodhi were sandwiched in the middle – Bodhi still comfortable in his nest. Bella was sitting to their left, leaving a gap big enough for Edward over on their right. He was grateful to see she'd left him the side with the highest section of roof. Edward crawled into his spot, unable to resist pulling his phone from his pocket to take a photo. He switched the camera to 'selfie mode' and held it out with his left hand, angling it so that all four of them were on the screen before snapping a couple of shots.

"Is it good?" Bella murmured. She smiled wide when he handed over his phone and showed her the photo he'd quickly set as his home page. They both looked tired, and Marley was sleepily holding her stuffed bunny over her head with droopy eyes, but it was a beautiful picture.

"I'll send it to you," Edward promised as he took his phone back and set it down beside him, checking that he'd switched off his alarms. Bella copied, and they both peered over Marley and Bodhi with soft, sleepy expressions.

"Are you comfy?"

Bella nodded. "Very. You?"

"This is perfect," Edward sighed, even though he knew 'perfect' didn't even come close to how right this set-up felt.

"Night Mamma, night Edward," Marley mumbled, rolling onto her side to face Bodhi. Bella and Edward whispered their 'goodnight's, but it was obvious she was beyond responding when her soft snores began only seconds later.

They smiled at each other over the babies' heads, and fell asleep quickly.

 **~ oOo ~**

The following morning, Edward was very quickly reminded of the reason for their trip to Italy.

Over omelets, bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice courtesy of Antonio, Edward reached for his phone with trepidation as it rang, spinning on the table-top.

"Are you gunna geddit?" Marley mumbled around a mouthful of eggs and bacon.

"Manners, baby girl. Don't talk with your mouth full, please," Bella chided gently, offering Edward a soft, reassuring smile when he looked to her as he answered the call.

"Nonna, how are you?"

Bella busied herself with feeding Bodhi, unable to resist snapping photos of his egg-covered face to send to their family back home. It only took a minute or so for the replies to pour in.

 **Just like his Pawpaw! Tell the kids Pawpaw loves them. Love you too, Bella. And give Ed our love –** Pawpaw Charlie.

 **Aw, bless him! I miss you guys so much :( Give Edward big cuddles from all of us! Hope Connie and Enrico are okay xxxx –** Rosalie.

 **Good boy, Beesy! Hope you're all good. –** Emmett. Short and sweet, but perfectly to the point.

 **We'll see you shortly, just leaving the airport. Give those babies big kisses from Mimi and Carl! 3 –** Esme.

Bella glanced at the clock. It would take around an hour to drive to Edward's house from the airport. Judging by Edward's fidgeting, he might have already left to head to the hospital by then. She quickly responded to Esme telling her so, and was surprised at her response.

 **Are you not going with him to the hospital?**

Truthfully, Bella hadn't thought a lot about what would happen when she was rushing to the airport yesterday. She'd been heartbroken about Edward's departure and stressed about Marley. She hadn't moved from her bed since Edward left, even with the bribe of pancakes – her absolute favorite. Even when Archie had arrived just ten minutes later, Carl-Roman and Chase in tow, she'd refused to leave her bed.

As Bella had gone downstairs to see what was wrong with Archie, Marley's sobs had shattered what was left of her optimism that they'd be okay while Edward was gone.

Then Archie had explained what had gone on.

 _Bella stared at her brother's weary face, his red-rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks. "Archie…what's wrong? Tell me, please; you're scaring me."_

" _Kristen's gone," he muttered._

" _What do you mean, 'gone?'"_

 _Archie huffed and raked a hand through his hair. The desolate look in his eyes made Bella's chest hurt; she snuggled Bodhi close, inhaling the sweet scent of his baby shampoo from his curl-covered head._

" _We argued…again. Nothing new there. She was supposed to have gone to New York on Saturday for some client meeting. Did you know that?"_

 _Bella hesitated. She_ did _know that, but only because she'd seen paperwork on the hall cabinet. The kids had knocked some papers down while they were charging around and she'd paused to right it. Her reading had improved a lot since her return to England, so she'd been able to make out the general gist of the writing. There were two airline tickets from Gatwick to JFK, and the details for the reservation at the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel._

 _Bella didn't want to admit that she'd noticed the reservation was for two people and only one room._

" _She mentioned an upcoming trip last week, but I didn't know she was supposed to go yesterday," Bella hedged._

" _She was meant to fly out Saturday afternoon. When I told her that she couldn't go because of the party, and asked why it couldn't wait until the following morning, she said 'it's too important, I_ have _to be there.' She couldn't understand why I was upset or why I was frustrated at her for putting the meeting before me and my birthday. I asked why she had to be there and she just said that she's up for a big promotion, but she's been saying that for years now. It's always another promotion, another trip, another crucial meeting…" Archie breathed out a shaky exhale, looking as though he might burst into tears at any moment._

" _Did you know…Kristen's never once been here for either of the boys' birthdays? She's always missed their parties, and I don't think she's ever picked out a present for them. I do all of that. I buy the gifts and make the cake and invite everybody. She actually forgot Carl-Roman's fourth birthday. She was in America…somewhere, I can't even remember now…and I called her to see if she wanted to say 'happy birthday,' but she was in a meeting or something. Her phone was switched off. When she called me back she asked what I wanted and why I'd called, knowing that she had a bunch of 'critical' meetings."_

 _Listening to Archie speak, Bella had never felt so sad for her brother. Outwardly, he had it all. A pretty fiancée, two gorgeous sons, a good job which was flexible enough to allow him a leave of absence, though it would soon end, and a house to call his own. He had a loving family which had been put back together again after a horrific crime, and he had his health._

 _But looking at him now, seeing the downtrodden man who constantly put up a happy front for his loved ones, Bella felt nothing but hate for Kristen. She'd whittled away at him behind closed doors for so long, never showing her true colors in public._

" _Daddy?" Carl-Roman appeared in the kitchen doorway, baby Chase walking at his side. The boys were holding hands, their faces mirroring their dad's sorrow._

" _C'mere, boys." Carl-Roman hurried Chase and melted into Archie's embrace when he scooped both boys into his lap, holding them tight against his chest._

" _Daddy, where's Mummy?"_

 _Bella's heart broke at the look on Archie's face. How could he explain that Kristen wasn't coming back? Bella was no expert on relationships, but she'd seen enough of her brother's relationship and Kristen's absence to know that she wouldn't be spending a lot of time with her boys. She'd never wanted to before, and without Archie's pestering she likely wouldn't now, either._

" _I'll give you a minute," Bella murmured, pausing to kiss each of their heads in turn – Carl-Roman, Archie, Chase – before leaving the room. As she made it to the doorway of the living room she heard Archie begin._

" _Boys, I'm sorry, but your Mummy has gone away for a while…"_

 _Bella and Bodhi had remained in the living room for almost an hour before Archie and the boys joined them. Chase was too young to really understand what was going on, and was happy enough with_ Thomas the Tank Engine _on the TV. Carl-Roman was more subdued than usual though, and snuggled into Bella's side on the sofa, leaving Archie to sit on the chair opposite. He looked marginally better. Relieved, almost; like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders._

" _Are you okay?" Bella mouthed._

 _Archie paused, seeming to take stock of his emotions, before nodding and managing a weak smile. "I'm…surprisingly okay."_

 _A few minutes passed before he gasped. "Shit, Bella...Edward! He's gone this morning, hasn't he?"_

 _The reminder of Edward's absence hit Bella like a sledgehammer to the heart. She gulped, misery sweeping through her veins. "Yes," she whispered._

 _Archie's face fell. "I'm sorry. How're you holding up?"_

" _We're fine, we're fine," she mumbled, almost more to herself than to Archie, like she was trying to persuade herself that she was fine._

" _Where's Mars? She still sleeping?"_

" _No, she's…" Bella sighed. "She's heartbroken, actually. Inconsolable. I don't know how she's going to deal with this. I've been wondering and worrying about what would happen when Edward inevitably left us, but I guess now we know."_

 _Now Archie had never been good at hiding his emotions when they were kids, and he hadn't gotten better at it with age. This was how Bella knew he was itching to say something, but stopping himself._

" _What? What is it?"_

" _Well,_ why _was Edward inevitably going to leave you? Jesus, Bella! Any fool can see he loves you three to pieces. Until Rico got sick he had no plans to leave. Between you and me, he's even been talking to Dad and Uncle Pete about projects they're working on."_

 _Bella frowned, confused. "Why would he want to know about their projects?"_

" _Houses, Bella. He's been asking about houses. To live in? He doesn't want to live with Carl and Esme forever."_

" _I don't…umm…" Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Edward was looking at houses. To live in. In Eastbourne._

And he loves you _, Bella's subconscious added._ And Marley and Bodhi _._

" _His music earns him a lot of money, plus he's got that trust fund from Enrico's parents. He's not hurting for money, squirt. And the houses he's been asking about? They're not for one person…"_

 _This time, it didn't take any time at all for Bella to work out what her brother was hinting at._

Edward's looking at houses for himself…and me, Marley, and Bodhi _._

 _In a way, it seemed awfully presumptive of him to be thinking that way. But Bella couldn't deny that with every passing day, her feelings for him grew stronger, more intense._

 _More permanent._

 _He'd admitted already that he loved her, Marley, and Bodhi, so why_ wouldn't _he think about the future? A future in which they would live together, in a house of their own._

 _The idea petrified Bella, her heart racing and pounding a rapid tattoo against her ribcage. But it also warmed her. The images the idea conjured were sweet and pleasant, and felt nice as they wrapped themselves around her mind and weaseled their way into the fissures of what she'd imagined her future to look like. She could live with Edward in a home where they raised Marley and Bodhi together, where they lived happily as a unit and cooked together, hosted barbecues for their family and supported one another._

 _Suddenly, the idea of Edward being alone in Italy seemed abhorrent. Bella couldn't stand the thought of him being there in that big house, worrying about his beloved Nonno and Nonna by himself. Why had she let him go without offering to accompany him?_

 _Frustration boiled within her chest._

 _But she'd never make it there in time. And she couldn't leave Marley and Bodhi, so she'd have to organize their things as well as her own, and find some way to get there._

 _Archie chuckled, pulling her from her half-formed plan. "Do you need a ride somewhere? The airport, maybe?"_

 _They were delayed when they realized one very important detail – Marley's and Bodhi's car seats were in the backseat of Charlie's car, which was most likely only just arriving at Gatwick._

 _This had subdued their frenzy somewhat, and they'd spent the next hour waiting for Charlie to return playing with the children. As soon as Bella told Marley of her plan to try and catch Edward at the airport she was revitalized and more excited than anybody had ever seen her; she whizzed around the house, her voice loud and smile bright. Carl-Roman was a little jealous that Marley was getting to go back to 'the cool house with the awesome pool' until Archie reminded him that he had to go to school and he had a football game with his team in two days._

 _Mollified, he turned his attention to his trains, helping Chase build a track around the living room._

 _Everyone froze when they heard the sound of Charlie's car rolling onto the driveway. Bella and Archie's gazes locked; one nervous, one gleeful._

 _Archie had wondered how long it would take for Bella's and Edward's blossoming relationship to become glaringly obvious to his dad. He was fairly confident Charlie suspected something was happening, but he knew their deeper connection would be unable to deny after this._

" _Pawpaw!" At the sound of keys in the door, Marley, Carl-Roman, and Chase ran to greet their beloved pawpaw. Bodhi toppled forwards from butt to all-fours to follow them, Bella scooping him up just as he made it to the doorway._

 _He smiled, slowly and sweetly, as she nuzzled his soft cheek and kissed his head._

" _Pawpaw, we're goin' to see Edward!"_

 _Bella winced, hearing her dad's confusion when he asked what Marley meant, reminding her gently that Edward was going to Italy. "Do you think he'll be mad?"_

 _Archie snickered; he was enjoying this far too much for his sister's liking. "I honestly don't know, squirt."_

 _For the first time, it occurred to Bella that she'd never had to do this. Never had to request his blessing to do anything like this. As a teenager, she'd never had to beg to go to parties or to concerts with friends. She'd never had to plead to go away for the weekend, or go on a date with a boy._

 _And now she was asking for him to let her go to Italy._

 _Sure, Bella was an adult, and her choices were largely her own. She had money in her account from the fund Charlie set up when she was born, and she had packed the essentials for herself, Marley, and Bodhi to last them at least until she could get to a shop in Italy._

 _All she needed was Charlie's blessing, because she'd have hated to go without it. And Bella knew she was going. She had to._

" _Bella? What's this about going to Italy?" Charlie appeared in the doorway with a creased forehead, Chase in his arms, and Carl-Roman and Marley at his sides._

 _Here goes nothing…_

Needless to say, Charlie had agreed - and had apparently contacted Riley during her journey to the airport with Archie at the wheel.

Bodhi slapping at the table pulled Bella from her memories. She looked down at the phone in her hand, realising the screen had gone dark. Waking it up, she tapped back a response to Esme, promising to do whatever Edward wanted her to, before tucking it into her pocket and refocusing on Bodhi.

Edward was just finishing his call. He set his phone down with a huff and pulled hard at his hair with both hands.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked quietly.

Edward's eyes lifted to her, their beautiful green lightened by the tears swimming within them. "Nonno's stable, but…not good. He's…he's probably not got a lot of time left."

"Oh, Edward," Bella breathed, feeling her own eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry."

"Edward, what'sa matter?" Marley whined, leaving her chair to clamber onto Edward's lap. She wrapped her arms and legs around his torso like a baby monkey clinging to its mother, snuggling her head under his chin. Edward visibly sighed, looping his arms around Marley and holding her close as he lowered his head, sucking in a deep breath against her curly hair. The sheer sorrow written in his features broke Bella's heart, defeat shaping his bowed frame as he hunched over Marley.

"Nonno Enrico is poorly, little sweet," Bella answered for him, seeing that he was struggling to find words. She mopped Bodhi's face clean, then lifted him from the highchair and moved to take the chair Marley had occupied a minute previous. She edged closer, reaching out to rest a hand on Edward's shoulder. Marley tilted her head, peering at Bella from behind a curtain of chocolate ringlets.

"Is he in hop-sital?"

Bella smiled slightly. " _Hospital_ , baby. Not hop-sital. Yes; Enrico is in hospital."

"Like…ummm, like when baby Bodhi was born?"

"Yes."

Marley frowned, squeezing Edward when he inhaled a shaky breath. "So, ummm, the doctors are looking after him? And giving him med'cine?"

"Yes, the doctors are looking after him and trying to help him feel better," Bella paused, because she didn't know what to say. She didn't want to promise that the doctors would be able to help Enrico. It wasn't certain that they'd be able to, and Bella didn't want to break Marley's heart by making promises she wasn't able to keep.

Marley had matured in a multitude of ways since their return to England, but she was still a very literal thinker, particularly when Bella or Edward told her things. She took their words to heart; she trusted that they'd always tell her the truth. In times like this, Bella wasn't sure what was for the best, and she desperately wished she had Esme or her dad to lean on for reassurance and guidance.

"Eh, eh, eh!" Bodhi babbled, leaning almost out of Bella's arms to reach for Edward.

Edward opened his arms, scooping Bodhi into his lap alongside Marley. "Hey, _tesoro_. Now I have my two favorite little ones; my little sweet _and_ my _tesoro_ ," he murmured, snuggling them both close.

Bella rose from her seat, gathering the forgotten plates from the table and carrying them to the kitchen. Edward looked like he could use a moment, and if she was honest, she needed a moment to herself as well.

She'd thought her heart was breaking when she was kidnapped thirteen years ago.

She'd thought her heart was breaking when she was systematically abused by her abductor for over a decade.

She'd thought her heart was breaking when she gave birth to a helpless baby girl when she was still just a child herself.

She'd thought her heart was breaking when she'd escaped, returning home to her family only to be stolen away once again, almost losing her baby, her best friend, and her life in one day.

And she'd thought her heart was breaking when Edward left her behind yesterday morning.

But Bella was wrong.

Watching Edward drawing strength from her babies, his little sweet and his _tesoro,_ was tearing her to pieces. Watching him come to the realization that he was going to lose his beloved Nonno was absolutely gut-wrenching.

And watching Edward, her sweet, kind, loving, family-oriented Edward, knowing how much pain he was in, was breaking her heart into a million pieces.


	38. Chapter Thirty-Six

**Two updates?! Within a WEEK?!**

 **Um, so basically...I'm a little sad right now.**

 **This is the penultimate chapter of Pinky Promises,  
and I'm already having withdrawals from these characters  
and their little world. I'm getting emotional just thinking  
about having to say 'goodbye' to them! God knows how I'll  
feel next time, when it's the actual last chapter...**

 **Anway, depressing thoughts over.**

 **Huuuuuge thank yous to the wonderful  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
for all their amazing hard work tidying this up for me.  
Pinky Promises wouldn't be the story you know and love  
without them.**

 **That said, I did tinker a little bit after  
they sent their copies back, so any mistakes are  
all mine :)**

 **Thank you to all of you for your lovely reviews! A lot of  
you guessed Bella would go after Edward. Of course, I couldn't  
let him go off alone and leave her behind! Time will tell  
whether it was the kick up the butt our oblivious young  
lady needed to push her in the right direction... ;)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF**

 **Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 _ **Summary:**_ _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 _ **Pinky Promises**_

 _ **Chapter Thirty-Six**_

"Nonna Connie!"

"Marley, no—"

"It's okay," Edward murmured, reaching for Bella. She looked up at him, seeing the tiny smile curling his lips. "She could probably use a hug from little sweet, right about now."

Bella nodded and sighed, returning her gaze to Contessa. Having sprinted down the hall to throw her arms around Contessa, Marley was now sitting in her lap as the older woman held her face and told Marley how pretty she had gotten.

"Edward says I'm the prettiest princess ever," Marley told her sweetly.

Contessa laughed; the sound was soft but tired.

Bella could see, even from ten feet or so away, that Contessa appeared drawn and pale. She had dark circles under her eyes and stood on shaky legs; the summer dress she wore did nothing to brighten her appearance. Bella struggled to reconcile this woman with the vibrant, cheerful lady she'd spent time with just a few, short months ago.

" _Nonna, mi sei mancata cosi tanto."_

While Bella had been busy cataloguing the changes in Contessa's appearance, Edward and Bodhi had joined Marley and Contessa further down the corridor.

The older woman held the back of Marley's head with one hand, looping her other arm around Edward's waist as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head and admitted that he'd missed her, too. Edward held her close, not wanting to let her go until Bodhi let out a squeal and whined to garner Contessa's attention.

"Oh, _ragazzo dolce,_ such a sweet boy," she breathed, taking him from Edward and peppering loud kisses over his chubby cheeks. Bodhi chuckled delightedly and offered her a slow smile when she finally halted her attack. "You just get more and more handsome every time I see you, young man."

"Ess, ess, bah!" Bodhi babbled, leaning into her chest. "Ahhh."

Bella teared up at the sight of Bodhi giving Contessa a hug. It was his favorite thing at the moment – giving hugs. He loved making the, 'ahh' sound, too. As she watched Contessa's eyes fill with tears, her smile wide and genuine, Bella couldn't help but adore her son's affectionate nature, even at the tender age of only ten months.

 **~ oOo ~**

Later, Bella carried Bodhi down to the cafeteria, Marley beside her holding Esme's hand, to leave Carlisle and Edward to spend some time with Enrico. He was only occasionally lucid enough to open his eyes, but both men had remained at his bedside since their arrival at the hospital.

"Mamma, can we get an ice cream?" Marley asked, swinging hers and Esme's joined hands.

"If you can remember what 'ice cream' is in Italian, I'll treat you to one," Esme murmured quietly, shooting a wink in Bella's direction.

Marley scrunched up her face, thinking hard for a few moments. As Bella gestured for her to press the 'down' arrow for the elevator, Marley's face lit up. " _Gelato_! It's _'gelato,'_ Zia Mimi!"

" _Bene, ragazza intelligente!"_ Esme laughed at the confused look on Marley's face as they stepped into the elevator and began their descent to the lower floor. "I said, 'good, clever girl.'"

"I am clever! Mamma says I'm even cleverer than she is." Marley turned to peer up at her mother. "Right, Mamma?"

Bella smiled, reaching down with the hand not holding Bodhi, to tuck a loose curl behind Marley's ear. "You're incredibly clever, baby girl. So, so much smarter than me."

Marley beamed with pride all the way to the cafeteria where she politely requested, _'vorrei un gelato medio, per favore,' –_ 'I'd like a medium-size ice cream, please.' Esme coached her during the short walk from the elevator to the cafeteria, and positively glowed as Marley managed to repeat her newly-learned phrase perfectly.

"You've got the knack for language, Marley," Esme told the little girl when they sat down.

Bella sat Bodhi in a borrowed highchair and dug through the diaper bag, fishing out one of his favorite yogurts to distract him from trying to twist around to grab at his sister's ice cream. She couldn't help but laugh when he opened his mouth wide and whined for more of the yogurt if she took too long.

"Og, og!" He bleated, his cheeks smeared with strawberry fromage frais, his puppy-dog eyes pleading and irresistible.

"Okay, okay, little man. It's coming."

"Baby Bodhi is getting good at talking now, Mamma. D'you think he's gonna say my name soon?"

"Definitely, baby girl. He can already almost say it. Bodhi, can you say, 'Marley?' 'Marley.'"

Bodhi swallowed his mouthful and craned his neck to look round at Marley, grinning toothily when he spotted her. "Mawi!"

"That's right, baby Bodhi! I'm Marley." Marley quickly crunched the last of her cone, hopping down from her chair to join Bodhi. She rested her elbows on the highchair tray and leaned in to give her baby brother an Eskimo kiss; his adorable belly chuckles drew a few stares and smiles from the other occupants of the cafeteria and proved too cute for Bella to resist videoing the interaction.

"I'm your big sister, and I'm gonna teach you loads of cool stuff. I'll teach you about drawing, and eating ice creams real quick without getting brain freeze, and how to get Pawpaw to do what you want." Marley's gaze darted toward Bella – seeing that her mother was amused, not mad, she grinned and continued talking to Bodhi. "He's real easy to persuade. You just gotta blink at him, basically. Mamma says it's called 'patting your lashes.'"

"Batting your lashes, baby girl," Bella giggled, fishing a wet wipe from the diaper bag at her feet to clean Bodhi's face. "Don't tell Pawpaw, but I think he'd do pretty much anything you ask him to even without batting your lashes."

This news pleased Marley immensely. She flashed Bella a wide, toothy grin before turning back to Bodhi. "See, baby Bodhi? Pawpaw is easy, 'cause he loves us a whole lot. Mamma, can I feed Bodhi his fruit?"

"Sure, baby girl. Make sure you break the really big bits up a little."

"Okay, Mamma. Here we are, baby Beesy bear. No, silly! You gotta chew!"

"Oh…" Esme's shocked gasp drew Bella's attention away from her babies; she registered the phone in Esme's hand and the distraught pull of her brows; the downward curve of her lips as a shaky hand rose to her mouth.

"Marley, baby, please can you run and grab me some tissues from the table just there?" Bella murmured quietly, already sensing the cause of Esme's distress; she didn't want Marley to hear the words Esme would undoubtedly utter when Bella asked what was wrong.

"Sure, Mamma."

As soon as Marley darted away, Bella still able to see her in the corner of her eye, she shifted in her seat and reached out to hold Esme's forearm. "Esme…"

The older woman's eyes lifted slowly to meet Bella's gaze. They were heavy with sorrow as she exhaled shakily. "He's gone. Enrico just slipped away."

 **~ oOo ~**

Bella felt the heavy, leaden weight of sadness settling itself in the pit of her stomach as she made her way down the hall toward Enrico's room. Bodhi was fast asleep in his stroller – Bella had fetched it from the car when he began to droop in her arms, and became too heavy to carry any longer – and Marley walked solemnly beside Esme once again. The skip in her step, which had been present on the way to the cafeteria just a short while ago was now noticeably absent.

Telling Marley that Enrico had gone with the angels was heartbreaking, but Bella hadn't wanted her to go charging up to Edward and Carlisle without knowing. She hadn't said a lot about it as yet, instead falling quiet as her little mind attempted to wrap itself around this new scenario. Bella hated that her young daughter had to deal with a loss, especially of someone so dear, but there was no way around it. Marley was far too perceptive, and loved Enrico far too much to just let his prolonged absence go unmentioned.

Carlisle and Edward were slumped in chairs outside Enrico's room when Bella, Esme, Marley, and Bodhi reached them.

Carlisle stood as Esme rushed toward him, his tall frame bending around her much-smaller body. Bella felt her stomach twist as she watched the way they melted together, Esme holding her husband up despite their vast difference in size and stature. It was both heartbreaking and uplifting to see their bond and the strength they found in one another.

"Mamma…" Marley whispered tearfully, tucking herself into Bella as she clutched at her waist and buried her face in her mother's side.

"It's okay, baby girl. It's okay." Bella scooped her daughter into her arms and held her tight, tears pouring over her cheeks as she watched Edward raise his head and blink away the moisture clinging to his long lashes.

" _Cazzo."_

She saw, more than heard, the Italian curse fall from his lips. He raked a hand through his already-messy bronze hair, his beloved cap noticeably absent, then stood and passed his aunt and uncle to loop his arms around Bella and Marley. He was almost holding them too tight, but neither Bella nor Marley complained, simply reaching around to hold him just as firmly. They shook with the force of his shaky exhale, his lips trembling when he leaned back just a little to meet Bella's worried gaze.

"Thank you. For being here," he whispered.

As the soft sounds of Carlisle crying and Esme soothing him found their way to Bella's ears, her daughter twisting to tuck her face into Edward's neck as she wrapped his hair between her tiny fingers, Bella inhaled a deep breath and forced herself to blink away her tears.

Just like Carlisle needed Esme's strength, Edward needed Bella's; she was determined to give it to him.

"Edward…there's nowhere else I'd rather be than with you and the babies."

Edward's dimmed, sad green eyes flitted around her face, trying to read her; they finally settled on her blue-green gaze. They beseeched him to believe her, to relax and trust in her.

So, he did. He let the stress and sadness leak from his body, letting himself lean on her both physically and mentally as she tightened her grip around his body and let him bury his face against her shoulder. His salty, warm tears reminded her that this wasn't just a cuddle or a quick embrace between friends.

It was the sharing of strength and sorrow.

The sadness at the end of a marriage, a relationship, and a life.

And it was the beginning of a new era for her, and for Edward. For their budding bond and the way in which they saw one another.

No longer was Edward a solitary pillar of strength having to support them both.

Bella could support him, too. And she would.

She did.

 **~ oOo ~**

In the two weeks that followed, Edward's house once again became a hive of activity. A base, of sorts. Within two days of Enrico's passing, Charlie, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase joined Edward, Bella, Marley, Bodhi, Carlisle, and Esme at the house. They were followed by Peter, Rosalie, the twins, and Emmett a few days later, then Jasper, Alice, Clarke, and Dave at the end of the first week.

Contessa moved into the house, too, unable to bear returning to the villa in which she'd lived with Enrico for the past fifty years, alone.

This meant that Edward's large house felt rather cramped, with hastily erected blanket forts providing spaces for the children to sleep while the adults split the bedrooms.

Much to Edward and Carlisle's annoyance, Antonio didn't show up until the day before his father's funeral; at this point, his brother and son had already taken care of everything, and neither of them were happy to see him or his belligerent wife.

"What do you mean, 'it's all done?' Should we not have been consulted?" Amy had haughtily complained when Edward had informed her that everything had been organized ahead of Enrico's funeral the following day.

He'd scowled; the expression wouldn't have looked out of place on Carl-Roman's seven-year-old face. "If either of you had bothered to show up sooner, you would have been consulted."

And that was all he'd said on the subject. In fact, that was all he'd said to either of his parents. He'd marched away from his horrified mother and hadn't spoken to her, or his father, since, instead choosing to spend his time with Contessa or Bella and the children.

 **~ oOo ~**

The night before Enrico's funeral, Bella struggled to sleep.

She sat upright in bed against the headboard, Marley snoring in the bed to her right; Bodhi sprawled out in the travel cot to her left. Soft moonlight filtered into the room through the gap in the drapes, the thin material billowing inward every time the gentle breeze snuck through the window left slightly ajar. Bella could just make out the silhouette of the simple black dress she would wear tomorrow hanging on the front of the wardrobe; Marley's matching dress was there too, along with Bodhi's impossibly tiny, black suit.

The thought of her babies being at the funeral weighed heavily on Bella's mind, but she knew there was no way she'd be able to leave them alone; everyone they knew would be at the funeral. Bodhi was too young to understand what was going on, but Marley knew. Marley had seen the tears, heard the conversations about flowers, the burial, and what Contessa would do afterward. Edward was trying to insist that she fly back to England with him, but she'd been understandably reticent to make any decisions thus far.

Bella's thoughts moved to Antonio and Amy. She couldn't understand how two, seemingly uncaring, selfish people could create such a giving, loving son like Edward. But it quickly occurred to her that they hadn't, not really. Sure, they'd created him in the biological sense, but Carlisle and Esme had raised him for the most part and provided the nurturing, stable upbringing that had molded him into the man he was today.

They'd given him the stability his own parents hadn't been able, or willing, to provide.

"Bu' I don't wanna eat my broc'li, Mamma…"

Bella stifled her laughter into her shoulder, turning to listen to Marley's sleep-talk for a few moments.

"Edward won't make me…Pawpaw loves sandwiches."

Eventually, Marley rolled over onto her other side, and her sleep-talking ceased. Bella's full bladder made itself known, so she clambered out of bed without waking her daughter and tiptoed from the room to head toward the nearest bathroom. With business taken care of, she decided to quickly nip to the kitchen for a glass of water.

As Bella reached the doorway, she paused, noticing that the door leading outside to the rose garden had been left ajar. An unexpected feeling of longing and nostalgia barged into her like a truck; Bella couldn't resist heading out for a few moments.

Just as they had been back in March when she'd last visited, the roses were in glorious full bloom, this time joined by a variety of other flowers in various colors, sizes, and shapes; as she walked slowly through the line of arches, the intoxicating scent of the mingling flowers proved surprisingly gentle. It was still warm enough outside for Bella to be comfortable in her jersey pajama shorts and teal tank top. The stone path was soft and only slightly cool under her bare feet, and the gentle breeze played with the loose tendrils of her hair as the trickle of the fountain ahead called her forward. Kneeling, Bella trailed her fingertips over the surface of the water and released a long sigh.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"OhmyGod!" Bella yelped, falling back on her butt in fright.

Edward stepped out of the shadows, a contrite, apologetic tilt to his downward curved lips and tightly knit brows. _"Cazzo_ , I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Bella's heart rate slowed to a more normal rhythm, and she accepted the hands he held out to help pull her back to her feet. "I'm okay, don't worry. I just didn't expect anyone else to be up, is all." She cocked her head, reaching up to stroke the troubled knot between his dark eyebrows. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No. Not tonight," Edward mumbled, looking down at his flip-flop clad feet.

Only then did Bella notice that he was still in the clothes he'd worn all day – a pair of cream, chino shorts and a pale blue polo shirt. The colors accentuated his golden tan, and the fit of his top exaggerated the musculature of his arms and chest. Bella felt her skin flush as she forced her eyes to leave his biceps, filling the short sleeves of his polo, and met his gaze.

 _Busted_.

He was looking straight at her; he almost appeared amused.

"It's been a while since we were here, huh?"

Edward nodded slowly, looking around as though searching for the past; as though he'd be able to see the months between this and their last visit hiding within the blooms. "A lot has changed."

Bella couldn't help but agree. A lot had changed.

 _Bella, I love you._

Warmth spread through her veins as she remembered their last visit to Italy; as she remembered the declarations that had been made, the bonds that had been strengthened.

 _I love you. Bella, I love you. I love you._

Since their last evening here in the rose garden, Edward had admitted that he'd fallen for her, admitted that he loved her. He'd shown her that he loved her every day since. And, slowly but surely, she'd begun to see that he wasn't the only one falling.

With every smile, every hug or laugh or wink, she knew.

Every time she watched him tickle Bodhi until he was breathless or crouch and let Bodhi stagger around hanging onto his fingers to practice walking, she knew.

And as he cuddled his little sweet, taught her to play the piano, to be confident and to speak Italian, Bella knew.

Bella knew she was falling for Edward – fast. She was all-too-aware that her feelings of friendship were evolving, or had evolved already and were just now becoming more apparent. She'd realized a while ago that there was no going back; no denying how right it felt to think of Edward as something more than her friend.

He'd featured as a starring role in more than one of her dreams in recent weeks.

Often, she woke flustered and red-faced, wondering if her dream would come true.

Wondering if Marley and Bodhi would one day call Edward 'Daddy.'

Wondering if Bodhi would always be the baby of the family; if he'd ever wear a t-shirt that said 'Big Brother.'

Or if Charlie would tease his newest grandchild for having red hair like he teased Edward.

These were dreams she didn't share with anyone; they seemed too private, too intimate. However, at this moment, with Edward tugging her into a dancing hold to lead her around the fountain in loose, slow circles, Bella couldn't help but ache with want for those dreams to come to fruition, even though the thought of admitting her innermost thoughts and desires frightened her.

Even now, with Edward gazing down at her with soft wonder coloring his emerald eyes, she couldn't admit it. She couldn't just say the three words he'd given her those weeks ago on the patio beside the pool. Bella wasn't brave enough, even though Edward had been.

Frustration at herself nipped at Bella's heels as she bit down on her tongue, staring at the pocket on the front of Edward's Polo shirt. It rested exactly where his heart beat away inside his chest, and Bella felt the surprising, unstoppable rush of impulsiveness just seconds before she let herself lean forward slightly to kiss it; she felt the hard thump-thump of his heart against her lips before she pulled back.

Silence descended over the duo as they continued to move around the fountain in perfect synchronization; Bella's body was hyper-aware of Edward's.

Her hip tingled beneath his palm. Her fingers suddenly felt like live wires entangled with his. As they turned, their stomachs brushed, heat settling in her belly. Bella lifted her gaze to Edward's, peering up at him from beneath her lashes; he was staring back at her, emotions Bella couldn't begin to identify or name swimming in the depths of his jade eyes. Her heart raced, and she was abruptly certain that Edward must be able to hear it thundering away. How could he not? It was flying, thumping hard enough against her rib cage that it must have been impossible for him to miss.

The whoosh of a breath escaping her lungs was almost painful as Bella shivered, feeling Edward's hand leave her lip to ghost up her side. He paused at her ribs to tickle lightly, a smirk dancing on his lips, before continuing up until he was cradling her face. His hands were warm, with slightly calloused fingertips from years of woodworking, and made her feel like the most precious piece of glass.

Ironic, considering that his inability to handle her with kid gloves had been the thing that relaxed her most when she first escaped Garrett's tyranny.

"Bella, I…" Edward trailed off, shaking his head.

They came to a stop, their joined hands lowering, but Edward didn't move his hand from her face; if she was honest, Bella didn't really want him to, anyway.

The air around them seemed to crackle and swell, the breeze dropping completely as the fountain quieted to a low, unimportant trickle. Bella sucked in a breath and tried to decipher the intense look on Edward's face.

Eventually, after a minute that felt more like a lifetime, Edward sighed and smiled self-consciously. "Can I…" He coughed, clearing his throat, and tried again. "Can I say it?"

It took a few moments for Bella to realize what he meant by 'it.' When it clicked, Bella froze – just for a second. Then, relaxing, she nodded bashfully and readied herself to hear it. To hear the three words that lingered on the back of her tongue but weren't yet brave enough to take the leap to freedom.

His answering smile was beautiful in its exuberance and joy. His eyes were lit from within, framed by endlessly long lashes as his dimples popped to bookend his crooked grin. Bella reached up to run her fingers through his riotous, bronze mess of hair, lightly scratching his scalp. Edward hummed a pleased sound, letting his eyes slip closed for a moment before they reopened and he inhaled deeply, running the pad of his thumb over her lower lip as he whispered, "I love you."

 **~ oOo ~**

Edward startled as a warm, soft hand slid against his, small fingers pressing their way into the balled-up fists his hands had become. He forced his hands to relax before peering down at the woman at his side.

"Are you okay?" Bella whispered, squeezing their joined hands.

He managed a weak smile, leaning down to press his forehead to hers, just for a second. "I'm okay."

Enrico's funeral had gone as well as expected. There had been plenty of tears, readings, and emotional eulogies. Contessa had read a poem – the same poem they'd read during their wedding ceremony some fifty years ago. At the end of the service, each member of the immediate family had set a solitary red tulip atop his coffin; his favorite color paired with his favorite flower. Edward had lifted Marley so she could reach, and had cried as she placed the flower atop the picture she'd drawn of herself with Bodhi and Enrico, setting them gingerly on the coffin.

Then the entire congregation had filtered out into the sunshine for the burial.

The priest's blessing was in Italian. He spoke in a monotone voice and had a wrinkled face, aged by time and now clouded with grief; he missed his friend, with whom he'd grown up.

"Do you think he knows we're all here?" Edward asked softly, closing his eyes against Bella's forehead.

"Yes," she said, after a short contemplation. "I think he knows. And I think he's grateful, and he can see that we all love him."

Edward opened his eyes. They were just an inch or two away from Bella's. Her solemn gaze filled him with hope. If she believed that Enrico could see this, could see his loved ones gathered to say 'goodbye,' after all she'd been through and endured, Edward could believe it, too. Pulling back, Edward watched Bella as her gaze moved to the priest.

She looked heartbreakingly beautiful in a plain, black, knee-length sheath dress with cap sleeves. Her hair had been pulled back into a neat ponytail, and she wore a simple pair of low-heeled, black court shoes; Marley looked almost identical, except she wore her curls loose and tumbling over her shoulders. Edward fidgeted and bit his tongue.

At that moment, he almost couldn't contain his love for Bella. It threatened to pour from him in torrents as he fought tears and cursed himself for not being able to resist her. It had only been made harder since last night; since he'd seen her love for him reflected back at her from within her stunning azure eyes. At first, Edward had thought himself to be seeing only what he wanted to see. But as they'd danced late into the night, or early into the morning depending on your point of view, he'd come to a sudden realization.

There was no disguising what she felt. No denying that he could see her emotions clear as day, painted across her face and overflowing from her gaze. She may not be ready to admit it yet, but Edward was certain he could wait, now that he knew she felt the same.

Now that he'd seen it.

"Edward, can I come up?"

Edward scooped Marley into his arms without pause, holding her as close as possible and rocking their bodies side-to-side as she wrapped herself around him like a spider monkey clinging to its mother; he didn't pull his hand from Bella's, though. He simply used his free arm to cradle Marley, pressing a lingering kiss to the sweet little girl's forehead when he pulled back with a small, sad frown.

"Everyone's sad, Edward."

"I know, little sweet. But you know what? One day, everyone will be happy again, because even though Nonno Enrico is up with the angels now, he can still see us and hear us. We can talk to him, and he'll listen."

Marley contemplated this new information for a few seconds, then smiled hesitantly. "So, I can talk to Nonno Rico whenever I want? And he can hear me?"

"He sure can, little sweet."

"So I can still tell him 'bout my dreams and stuff? And when I teach baby Bodhi how to do things?"

"Yep. And you know…I think Nonno Enrico would really like to hear all that stuff if you want to tell him."

With a decisive nod, Marley sighed and relaxed against Edward's chest, leaning her head against his shoulder. "'Kay. I'll talk to him lots then, so he doesn't get lonely."

Edward exhaled shakily and pressed his lips together to stifle a cry, blinking away an onslaught of tears. Seeing what was about to happen, Bella stepped closer and tucked herself into his side, holding him up as he crumbled, turning to cry silently into her hair.

"I've got you," she whispered, holding him tighter. "I've got you."

Those were the words she said, but she was thinking " _I love you_ " on a loop.

 **~ oOo ~**

The wake carried on long into the evening. By the time the guests not staying at Edward's house had left, everyone was exhausted and more than ready to fall into their beds. Carl-Roman and Chase were carried off with Archie to his room, quickly followed by Esme, Carlisle, and Peter, the twins, and Charlie. Jasper, Alice, and their boys headed out to the tent they'd brought to create more room inside the house, and Rosalie finally yawned enough times while helping Bella clear away the platters that Bella shooed her toward her room.

"Are you sure?" Rosalie asked doubtfully, glancing toward Emmett hovering in the doorway playing on his phone.

"Of course. Head off to bed, and we'll see you in the morning. Thank you for all your help." Bella gave Rosalie a firm hug, kissed her cheek, and nudged her gently in the direction of the door – and Emmett.

It hadn't come as a surprise to Bella at all when Marley had tattled on Rosalie and Emmett, gleefully telling her mother that she'd seen Emmett sneaking into Rosalie's room a few nights previous; Bella was just waiting for the right time to pounce on Rosalie for details. Memories of Rosalie doing the same thing to her when they were last in Italy were fresh in Bella's mind, and she intended to get payback for her pseudo sister's nosiness.

"Night guys, I'm gonna turn in, too," Emmett called, following Rosalie out of the room and down the hall like an incredibly unsubtle puppy.

Edward chuckled when the pair disappeared from sight, stacking the last of the paper plates and tossing them into black bags. "Those two couldn't be more obvious if they tried."

Bella snorted, nodding. "You're right there. I bet they think they're being so sneaky."

"Who's sneaky, Mamma?"

Bella twisted to face her daughter, smiling when she saw the way Marley battled to keep her eyelids open. "Nobody, baby girl. All right, I think it's bedtime for you, huh?"

"No, Mamma. I'm not even _—yawn—_ sleepy yet."

"I think baby Bodhi is, though. And I'm very tired. Edward, are you tired?"

" _Molto stanco!"_ He crossed the room to kneel beside Marley, whispering, "that means 'very tired,' by the way. C'mon, let's go get our jammies on and get to bed."

Despite her assurances to the contrary, Marley was tired enough that she didn't argue with Edward when he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the room, Bella close behind once she'd scooped Bodhi from his _DockATot_. She made it to the bedroom just as Edward and Marley decided Marley would wear the _101 Dalmatians_ pajamas.

"Again, baby girl? Don't you want to wear any of your other ones?"

"No, Mamma. I like these ones. They've got Dalmatians on 'em!"

Bella laughed quietly, mindful of the sleeping baby in her arms. "All right, all right. The Dalmatian ones, it is."

"Mamma, can we get a Dalmatian? A real one? Ooh, we can get a cute little puppy with lots of spots and a waggly tail!"

"Maybe one day when you're older, baby girl," Bella hedged, settling Bodhi into his travel cot after quickly changing his diaper without waking him. Tucked back into his sleep shorts and t-shirt, Bodhi barely stirred as he was nestled into bed for the night. "We don't have anywhere near enough time or room for a dog right now."

Edward distracted Marley with talk of all the swimming he'd promised while Bella darted into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair and change into a comfy set of pajama shorts and a tank top. She laid the dress neatly on the counter beside the sink, knowing she needed to get it dry-cleaned before giving it back to Esme; Bodhi had spilled milk on it shortly after they returned from the crematorium.

When she emerged back into the bedroom a few minutes later, intending to drag Marley into the bathroom to brush her teeth, Bella hesitated and leaned against the doorframe to take in the adorable sight before her.

Marley and Edward were fast asleep on the bed, Marley's arm tossed over his stomach, her right leg curled around his, and her head pillowed on his chest. Bella rounded the bed with whisper-soft footsteps, unable to stop herself from sighing girlishly. Marley's hair was a wild mess across his bare chest, her hand resting right over his heart.

The exact spot Bella had impulsively kissed the night before when she'd been able to tell that his heart was hurting. It seemed she wasn't the only one with that sixth sense.

As her gaze traveled up past Marley's peaceful face to Edward's, she was saddened to see the troubled kink in his brows and the purse of his lips. She reached out to flick the switch, still able to see enough that she didn't trip on anything as she moved toward the bed. Thankfully, it was warm enough that the covers weren't necessary, because even with the best will in the world Bella wouldn't have been able to tug them from beneath Edward's dead-weight. She curled herself into the space beside Edward, content just being able to feel the heat from his body without actually invading his personal space by touching him.

With the sadness of the day leaching from her body, soft light illuminating Edward's increasingly peaceful features and the line of drool hanging from Marley's mouth onto Edward's chest, Bella felt the cotton-soft embrace of sleep welcoming her into its folds. She snuggled into the soft sheets and nestled her head into the pillow, happy in the knowledge that her three, favorite people were safe in the room nearby.

 **~ oOo ~**

 _Hot. I'm so hot…_

Bella woke uncomfortably hot and feeling as though she was being held down. A shot of panic raced through her veins as she contemplated the terrifying notion that the past year had all been a dream.

But no…it couldn't have been.

Even as her heart thumped away in her chest, the panic ebbing, Bella realized she could hear Bodhi's cooing and Marley's giggles. She could hear the quiet swish of the drapes on the tiles, and feel the balmy breeze sweeping in through the windows.

A deep inhale meant to calm Bella's speeding pulse only served to make her heart skip a beat.

 _Warm…woodsy…manly?_

Bella's eyes flashed open, and she immediately realized what the woodsy, manly scent was.

Or, _who_ it was.

In their sleep, Edward and Bella had gravitated toward one another. At some point in the night, Edward had rolled onto his stomach, thrown his arm and leg over Bella, and nestled his face into the juncture between her neck and shoulder. Soft puffs of breath fanned over her neck and collarbone every few seconds, gooseflesh rising over skin the warm air touched. His hair was an absolute mess and tickled her jaw each time he moved even only incrementally, and the warmth of his body spread the length of hers was the source of the heat that had woken her; the side he wasn't pressed against was noticeably cooler, thanks to the air sneaking into the room.

"Mamma, Edward's _talking_ ," Marley giggled.

Much to Bella's relief, her daughter didn't seem to notice the fire engine-red flush that had overtaken her face when she realized Marley was doubtlessly going to tell everyone about this; that she'd woken up to Edward and Bella entwined in bed.

"What? He's sleeping, baby girl."

Marley's eyes were aglow with mischief, her lips curled up into a wide grin. "He's talking in his sleep! Shhh, listen!"

Bella and Marley waited in silence for a few seconds; they both failed miserably at stifling their giggles, when, true to Marley's word, Edward began mumbling about cheese and salami roll-ups and dancing pelicans.

"Wha…" Edward lifted his head, blinking blearily at Bella until his eyes came into focus and he realized where he was and who he was laying on. " _Cazzo_ , sorry! Was I squashing you? I didn't mean to fall asleep, I swear!"

Bella laughed lightly, reaching up to scratch his scalp with her fingertips. His panicked expression evaporated immediately, replaced by pure euphoria as he hummed and leaned his head back into her hand. "It's fine, Edward. I think we must've moved around in our sleep."

"You could've kicked me out, you know?"

The image of Edward and Marley curled together flitted through Bella's mind. "No. You were exhausted, and it was no problem."

Marley bounced on her knees before throwing herself on Edward's back, straddling him and playing the drums on his shoulder blades. "Edward, you talked in your sleep!"

"I did, huh? What was I talking about, little sweet?"

Bella grinned, hearing the hint of nervous curiosity in his tone.

"Ummm…lots of stuff! Salami and cheese…Oh! And pela…ummm, no… _peli_ …Mamma, what was it? The dancing thing?"

" _Pelicans_ , baby girl."

Marley nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Pelicans. You were dreaming about pelicans, and they were dancing! What's a pelican, Edward?"

"I'll show you, hold on." Bella reached over to the nightstand and searched for pictures of pelicans while Edward rolled over onto his back, settling Marley on his stomach once he'd made himself comfortable. "Here you go. This is it."

"Oh. It's got a really big nose!" Marley squealed with delight – apparently, all the excitement was too much for Bodhi to miss out on; he made a loud sound of annoyance and pulled himself up to stand, clutching the side of the travel cot as he called for his mother.

"Mamma! Mamma, Mamma, Mamma."

Bella leaned over, lifting Bodhi from the cot by carefully pulling on his outstretched arms. Edward was ashamed at his inability to look away from her short-clad butt as she stretched, and he quickly attempted to distract himself by explaining the few facts that he knew about pelicans.

As she settled Bodhi on the bed between her body and Edward's, she watched him laugh with delight as he tumbled over Edward as he flung him in the air and blew raspberries over his face. While Marley giggled and joined in, Bella couldn't help but try to catalogue these moments, this precious time; imprinting it all in her mind. She never wanted to forget the smiles on their faces or the sound of their laughter. It was the picture-perfect image of a family morning in bed that Bella had often wondered if she'd ever get.

As a child, she and Archie had lived for these mornings when they'd crawl into their parents' bed and watch cartoons until lunchtime. Then Penelope would make pancakes, and they'd eat upstairs, no-one caring that they were getting syrup on the bedcovers or that they were still in their pajamas at midday.

Bella hadn't ever thought her babies would get to experience that for themselves, yet here they were.

As Edward shot her a wink before telling Marley to 'get her,' Bella joined in the tickle and raspberry war, deliriously happy and more content than she'd ever been.

So maybe Marley and Bodhi wouldn't ever have the exact lazy mornings in bed with their parents that Bella had pictured for them.

But she didn't care, because this…

This was so much more than she could ever have imagined.


	39. Chapter Thirty-Seven

**I'm switching it up and doing my full a/n at the bottom today.  
As you know, this is the last regular chapter. I'm holding it  
together - just about! - so I'll see you at the end.**

 **This one's a biggie, so enjoy :)**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF**

 **Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 ***** TISSUE WARNING*****

 **You're probably gonna want a whole box, just a  
heads up ;)**

 ***** TISSUE WARNING*****

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Chapter Thirty-Seven**

 _ **December 2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **, 2017**_

The gentle aroma of roses and lavender caressed the senses of everyone in the aptly named Winter Wonderland room. The girls who'd been tasked with arranging the flowers flitted to-and-fro between the scores of guests pouring in through the ornate double doors to take their seats. Fifty, white, satin-wrapped chairs had been set up in perfectly neat rows, the matching lilac ribbons tied in pristine bows on the back of each seat. At the end of every other three rows sat silver stands containing potpourri in shades of silver, white, and dusky lilac; curls of white ribbon twisted down around the stems of the stands like vines clinging to trees.

At the front of the room, a four-post canopy had been erected and draped with thin curtains of wispy lace, the aisle merging onto a shaggy white rug around two feet long and three feet wide – just large enough for three people to stand in a loose triangle formation.

Guests mingled, their excited chatter reverberating into the high ceiling before bouncing back down to create an air of tense anticipation; it left many of the guests fidgeting as they were ushered to their seats. With the arrival of four men dressed in full morning suits complete with tails and waistcoats, the loud conversations dropped to hushed murmurs. The men paused to shake hands, kiss cheeks, and bestow smiles upon friends and relatives, the congregation craning their necks to see the proud groom as he slowly made his way toward the slightly raised platform where he would soon make his fiancée his wife. Despite the rising air of anticipation, the quartet took their time meandering toward the altar, their joviality putting smiles on everyone's faces.

Twenty minutes later, once the celebrant had arrived with her twinkly-eyed smile firmly in place, and once the pianist had taken his place on the piano bench, the ceremony officially began.

As a cheerful tune began to fill the room, there was a chorus of 'aww's and delighted laughter, as the first members of the bridal party began stepping into the aisle to make their way toward the altar. Marley beamed, her silver dress shimmering as she moved, the sparkly hem catching the light with every step. She paused, looking down to her side. "C'mon, baby Bodhi," she hissed, her smile widening when Bodhi grinned and began toddling forward with her, their hands linked between them. He'd been dressed in a tiny, charcoal suit, wearing the same waistcoat and lilac tie as the groomsmen – though his was clip-on. Carl-Roman and Chase, who were right behind them, wore matching suits and waved merrily at their friends as they passed them.

The sweet quartet made their way down the aisle with matching grins, taking their spot beside Archie at the altar. He gave them both high-fives before scooping Bodhi into his arms as Charlie grabbed Chase, then handed them the first of the handful of carrot sticks he'd hidden in his jacket pocket. The idea was that they would be distracted enough by their snack not to demand to be put down; only time would tell whether the plan would work, or not.

The congregation moved their gaze to the end of the aisle once more, just in time to see the first two bridesmaids. The identical twins moved in perfect synchronicity in their tea-length, strapless lilac dresses; the white lace detail and sashes around their waists offset the color pleasantly. Their happy expressions made the groom's stomach clench with pride. Soon, they took their positions beside the flower girl, groomsmen, and pageboys, all eyes swiveling back to the ornate oak doors as the maid of honor appeared hesitantly in the doorway.

Jade green eyes warmed as they landed on sea-blue. The floor-length dress clung to her healthy silhouette like a glove, a mermaid skirt trailing in her wake while a pair of hidden heels lent her an extra few inches to make her appear taller than her natural five-feet-four. As her long lashes lifted to reveal nervous azure eyes that immediately jumped to Edward's, he feared he'd swallow his tongue before she made it to his side. Her recently-dyed, long, chocolate brown curls were artfully arranged atop the crown of her head, sun-kissed skin almost glowing under the dimmed ballroom lights. With the burgeoning smile on her face, Bella had never appeared so radiant; Edward couldn't have stopped his eyes from following her every step toward him if he'd tried.

Finally… _finally_ …after two days apart as some sort of pre-wedding ritual that Edward had abhorred, Bella reached the altar. She paused in front of Edward, her smile widening, then stepped right toward Archie and her children. Before the pianist could move into the next piece of music, the groom shot him a look and quickly stepped away from the altar to draw Bella into a tight embrace. She squeezed him back just as hard and placed a kiss on his cheek; they were both teary-eyed when they retook their places.

Then, and only then, did the pianist segue into Canon in D, the congregation collectively gasping as they turned as one to watch the bride make her way down the aisle on the arm of her proud father. He was beaming, his pride unmistakable.

All eyes were on the bride though; or, more importantly, her dress.

It was flawless – white, A-line, and embellished with lace in a delicate, floral pattern. A thin, sparkling belt drew her waist in while a demure sweetheart neckline joined an off-the-shoulder lace wrap. Her veil, too, was white; it flowed down her back and followed her up the aisle as she made her way toward her future. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the group at the altar. All the people who meant the most to her…they were there. Waiting.

For her.

Archie and his boys.

Bella, Marley, and Bodhi. Sweet little Bodhi with his slow, adorable grin, and Marley with her bright smile and bouncing-on-her-heels enthusiasm.

Charlie stood proudly beside Edward, their smiles a perfect pair as they gazed at her with tears gathering on their lashes.

Then there he was…her groom. Her love, her soul, her life.

Her Emmett.

The music broke in a stunning crescendo just as the bride and her father reached the altar. Peter inhaled shakily, doing as the celebrant said and placing his beloved daughter's hand in the palm of her chosen groom. He leaned in to kiss her temple as a tear tumbled over his cheek, then stepped to the side.

Emmett beamed, tears falling without shame as he leaned in and broke tradition by placing a quick kiss on the end of his bride-to-be's nose.

Cameras clicked, and the guests cooed as he cleared his throat and sighed, his relief plain as day. "Hey, Rosie."

She giggled, sniffling. "Hey, Emmett."

 **~ oOo ~**

"Emmett and Rosalie's love story brings them here. A time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments that brought them here. And a time to look ahead at all the moments still to come. I'm here – we're all here – because we want those moments for you. We're here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love is the experience of writing your story. It's not one moment – not even this moment."

The celebrant paused, smiling at Emmett, then Rosalie. "It's _every_ moment. So today, we have some words about what love is, coming from some of the people who love you the most." Her eyes moved to the gathered bridal party.

"Carl-Roman, Marley, would you like to come and say a few words?"

The congregation released a collective 'aaw' as Carl-Roman and Marley stepped forward. Carl-Roman pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, smoothing it out and holding it in front of himself and Marley so that they could both read; Marley's section was mostly memorized, as she struggled to read some of the words. Rosalie's eyes were full to bursting with tears and Emmett chuckled as Carl-Roman straightened his shoulders, puffed out his chest and cleared his throat. He and Marley took turns, taking two lines of the poem each.

"Today you're getting married; some say you're getting wed. There's crowds of people in our house, and strangers in my bed!"

Marley cast a nervous glance toward Edward, smiling weakly, then more brightly, when he responded with a wink.

"We had to get up early, take breakfast all together. Allowed to have the TV on to listen to the weather."

"Shower time was hectic, should have seen the queue. Girls were taking twice as long and air was turning blue."

"Hair was being straightened, perfume being sprayed. Nails were being painted, the boys of course delayed."

"Lots of make-up, lots of shoes, sparkles in the air. Pretty cards and parcels, flowers everywhere."

"Everyone had new clothes, Pawpaw even wore a suit. Aunt Rose is looking stunning, and I look kinda cute."

Rosalie mouthed her "thank you," to Marley, sniffling through her laughter.

"Posh car turned up at the door, took Aunt Rose away. Left me with the other kids but was told I couldn't play."

"Lots of photos, lots of fuss, what's it all about? Parties are for having fun, there's no need to shout!"

"Aunt Rose looks really pretty, Uncle Emmett's not too bad—"

Carl-Roman paused to let the guests' laughter die down, turning to attempt a wink; it was more of an overly-deliberate blink, but Emmett leaned down to ruffle his hair anyway.

"Someone here is crying, but doesn't look real sad."

"Lots of people laughing, sometimes very loud. Then it goes all quiet, lady talking to the crowd."

"Uncle Emmett holds Aunt Rose closely, putting on a ring. Says some words and makes a speech and makes them cry again."

Marley beamed as she looked to Rose.

"Aunt Rose takes another ring and puts in on his finger. Says some words and makes a speech and then we hear a singer."

"Someone says a poem,"

Carl-Roman paused again, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "That's us, by the way! Uh, where was I…Oh!"

"Lots of people clap. Waking up the funny man who's taking a quick nap."

"Soon we'll all be standing, watching them both kiss. They'll look so very happy, think they call it bliss!"

"Time to do some writing in a great big book. And with all those cameras, which way shall we look?"

"Is it nearly over, can I go and play? Let's come back tomorrow, we can do it all again."

A round of applause put proud, bashful smiles on the faces of Carl-Roman and Marley, who both darted toward Emmett and Rosalie for cuddles and kisses.

"Thank you, you beautiful little angels!" Rosalie cried, holding them both tight to her chest.

"You're welcome, Aunt Rose." Carl-Roman leaned in, planting a loud kiss on her cheek.

"Hey! That's my job, Mister," Emmett teased, shaking Carl-Roman's hand with a faux-serious expression. "Good job with the reading, you two. You were great."

"That's okay, Uncle Em," they chorused before stepping back into position. The celebrant beamed, tears glistening on her lashes as she continued the ceremony.

"We now have the final reading before the vows, although I'm not sure how you top that. Bella?"

Bella froze under the weight of the stares that befell her. " _Oh God_ …" She whispered under her breath.

 _Why did I suggest this again?_

"You've got this, baby girl," Charlie murmured, squeezing her hand.

She managed a weak smile. If Carl-Roman and Marley could stand up in front of their family and friends, so could she. Besides, her reading wasn't even half as long as theirs had been; they'd chosen it and insisted upon being allowed to read that exact poem.

Bella cleared her throat quietly, moving to stand beside Rosalie. They were equally teary-eyed and emotional, and likely would be all day. Both women had already lost count of the amount of times they'd cried just this morning while they got ready. "Rosalie…you're my best friend, no— _my sister_ , and I just want you to know that I love you." Looking between Rosalie and Emmett, she added, "I love you both." Sucking in a deep breath, Bella called the reading to mind and deliberately left a short pause between each line of the exert. She'd eventually decided upon this particular reading after weeks of trawling through books and online pages of suggested poems.

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. 'Pooh?' he whispered."

"'Yes, Piglet?'"

"'Nothing,'" said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. 'I just wanted to be sure of you.'"

"'We'll be friends forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet."

"'Even longer,' Pooh answered."

Bella paused to dab at her eyes with the handkerchief Charlie pressed into her hand. She sniffled, her smile a mile wide, eyes overflowing with emotion as she looked at her best friend; her sister, her rock. And almost Emmett's wife.

" _If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart…I'll always be with you."_

The entire ballroom burst into tears as the women fell into each other's arms and made good use of the waterproof makeup they'd applied.

 **~ oOo ~**

Once everyone had a chance to compose themselves, and handkerchiefs had been utilized to dry Bella and Rosalie's faces, the celebrant reclaimed their attention with a gentle wave of her hands.

"Emmett…Rosalie…you fell in love by chance, but you're here today because you're making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You've chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile, makes every day brighter, and cherishes you and all that you are."

"You're about to make promises to each other that you intend to keep. You're going to take a vow to take care of each other, to stand up for one another, and find happiness in the other. There's a simple premise to each of these promises: you're vowing to be there. You're teaming up and saying to the other, "every experience I am going to have, I want you to be a part of."

She smiled and looked to Emmett; he had tears tumbling over his cheeks already and the brightest of smiles adorning his face.

"Will you, Emmett McCarty, keep Rosalie Hale as your favorite person – laugh with her, go on adventures with her, support her through life's tough moments, be proud of her, grow old with her, and find new reasons to love her every day?"

Emmett's chest heaved with a deep breath, but his voice didn't waver as he affirmed, "I will."

"Will you, Rosalie Hale, keep Emmett McCarty as your favorite person – laugh with him, go on adventures with him, support him through life's tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, and find new reasons to love him every day?"

Rosalie's smile was radiant as she nodded jerkily, then took note of the celebrant's pointed look and quickly added, "I will!"

The celebrant laughed quietly. "Good! Will you, Emmett and Rosalie, be each other's partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely – for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next?"

Emmett and Rosalie shared a loaded, love-filled look. It made hearts flutter and eyes leak; their adoration of one another was clear for all to see. "We will."

"May we have the rings now, please?"

Edward stepped forward, rummaging in his pocket. Bella bit her lip to stifle a giggle when Edward visibly shook with repressed laughter; he'd confessed his plan to pretend that he'd lost the rings to her over dinner a few nights previous. As he handed over the matching white boxes without such trickery, Edward shot her a wink and shook his head slightly. He'd obviously thought better of it.

"Thank you. All right…you've both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of these promises that you've made. People often say wedding bands are a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end. But these rings did have a beginning. The stones were formed a long time ago deep within the Earth. Eventually, a series of lucky events caused them to rise to the surface, where someone dug them up. Metal was then liquefied in a furnace at a thousand degrees – molded, cooled, and painstakingly polished. Something beautiful was made from raw elements."

"Love is like that. It comes from humble beginnings, and through a combination of serendipity and effort, imperfect beings shape it into something extraordinary. It's the process of making something beautiful where there once was nothing at all. As you look at these rings over the years, I hope you remember that. You've created something extraordinary, and just as I know you'll protect these rings, I'm confident you'll protect the commitments you've made to one another today."

She turned to Emmett. "Emmett, would you like to place the ring upon Rosalie's finger?"

"I sure would, Ma'am." After sliding the ring onto Rosalie's ring finger, where it sat prettily beside her sapphire engagement ring, he raised it to his lips for a lingering kiss.

"Rosalie, would you like to place the ring upon Emmett's finger?"

Rosalie's hands trembled as she carefully removed Emmett's simple, titanium ring from its cushion and slid it onto his finger.

"So, to wrap this up before you all fall asleep on me," a ripple of titters spread throughout the congregation, "I'll ask you all to get to your feet for the new, Mr. and Mrs. McCarty."

She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially to Emmett, "Emmett, you may now kiss your bride, if you wish to."

Before she'd finished speaking Emmett had swooped Rosalie into his arms and bowed her back as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

 **~ oOo ~**

With tears in his eyes, Edward watched as Emmett steered Rosalie in loose circles around the dance floor. His fingers moved over the piano keys with ease; he'd been practicing this piece of music at Rosalie's request for almost three months and could play it in his sleep, at this point.

" _You're my always, you're my forever, you're my reality. You're my sunshine, you're my best times, you're my anomaly."_

His eyes cut over to Jessica – Eleazer and Carmen's daughter, who'd been asked to sing Emmett and Rosalie's first dance song. She'd been nervous as all hell right before the wedding, but you wouldn't have known it now. Her voice was sure and confident as she watched Rosalie and Emmett and serenaded them with Ryann Darling's _I Choose You_.

Edward had never seen Emmett look so happy. He was proud as punch with his bride in his arms. And Rosalie…

Edward couldn't reconcile this beautiful, happy, _healthy_ young woman with the girl he'd pulled from that flaming motel room all those months ago.

She absolutely glowed.

"Mamma told me to bring you a _Coke_ , Edward."

Edward grinned, kissing the top of Marley's head as she slid onto the piano bench and held the telltale red can between her hands, a straw protruding from the top. " _Grazie_ , little sweet."

"That's okay." She pushed up onto her knees, peering over the piano at her dancing aunt and uncle. "Why're Uncle Emmy and Aunt Rose still dancing?"

"It's their first dance, little sweet. Everyone who gets married gets to do a dance."

"Hmmm." Marley seemed content just to watch, so Edward returned his gaze to the dance floor. Not for the first time, his attention was diverted from the bride and groom by the beautiful face of his beloved.

Bella was across the room holding Bodhi and talking to Charlie and Peter. Edward sighed, unable to stop his eyes sweeping over her figure. The silvery satin dress clung to her in all the right places and swept out around her feet. It had what Bella had informed him was a cowl neck and keyhole back, and there was a small satin bow resting in the small of Bella's back. As she rocked slightly from side-to-side, her smile widening, Edward released a breathy sigh.

She'd never looked more beautiful; he'd never wanted her more.

In the nine months since he'd professed his love for Bella, Edward had behaved. He'd been true to his word that he wouldn't pressure her; he'd remained her friend.

If she needed something, or one of the babies needed something, Edward was there.

When Emmett and Rosalie announced their surprise engagement shortly after everyone returned from Italy in June, after Enrico's funeral, Edward stepped in to take care of the children for Bella while she helped Rosalie and Esme throw together a wedding they'd be proud of.

She'd been sick with the flu back in September and Edward had spent every day for the two weeks she was ill taking the children on fun day trips to tire them out and let her rest.

When they cooked together, which they did most nights, Edward began to anticipate what she'd need and when. They became a well-oiled machine, and both looked forward to their nightly kitchen duties.

During Bodhi and Marley's first experience of chicken pox, Edward spent every single night on the sofa at Charlie's house and demanded that Bella – only recently recovered from the flu – sleep through while he tended to the poorly babies. He mopped up tears, changed diapers, and cuddled screaming children through their misery for two weeks; all without complaint or being asked.

Carlisle and Esme had both spoken to him and questioned his motives for being so helpful with the children and spending so much time with them. They'd been appeased by his easy admittance that he would continue to love on them until they asked him to stop. His love for the children was in no way influenced by his love for Bella, and he assured his aunt and uncle that he'd love them all until the day he died – whether Bella ever admitted that she reciprocated his feelings or not.

As the song came to an end, Edward caught Jessica's eye. She nodded, stepping down from the small stage to let the DJ take over. He called for everyone to applaud the bride and groom, then informed Peter that it was time for the father-daughter dance. The cameraman snapped away as Peter left Bella and Charlie to pull Rosalie into his arms.

They smiled at one another and Edward could just about make out Peter telling her, "you look beautiful, sweetheart."

Their chosen song began – Paul Simon's _Father and Daughter_ – and the room hushed as they watched them shuffle around the dancefloor; neither of them were talented dancers, so they chose to sway almost in one spot as they whispered quietly to one another, their smiles wide, tears plentiful.

"Edward?"

"Yes, little sweet?" Edward scooped Marley onto his lap, taking a few long pulls from his drink as she frowned thoughtfully.

"How is Uncle P Aunt Rose's daddy?"

Edward's brows drew inward. "Umm…" This sounded suspiciously like the intro to the birds and the bees talk, and that was something he was far from comfortable getting into, especially without Bella. His eyes darted around but came up empty.

 _Of course, she'd disappear now, right when I need her_ , he panicked.

"Well, little sweet…Uncle Pete and Aunt Tina had a special hug and then your Aunt Rose was born, right?"

Marley nodded. She'd heard this much before when Carl-Roman had questioned Archie about his creation at the dinner table. It had made for a very awkward, but interesting, dinner conversation.

"So, to have a special hug and make a baby there has to be a daddy and a mummy. Babies can have two daddies or two mummies, but someone has to help them make their baby first. You need a boy and a girl to make a baby. Does that…does that make sense?"

Edward was relieved when Marley grinned and nodded. _Jesus H Christ…I'm so not prepared for this!_ His eyes roamed the dance floor, still desperate for Bella to appear and come to save him from totally messing this up.

"So…Mamma had to have a special hug with someone to make me? Did she have to give a special hug to my daddy?"

Ice slithered through Edward's veins. _Cazzo._ Why hadn't he realized that this was where she was headed? Why hadn't he just stopped her at the beginning and told her to go ask Bella? Or Esme! Esme was there…just a few feet away, talking to Carlisle and Carmen. He tried in vain to catch her gaze, but she was looking at photos on Carmen's camera – most likely of Jessica, as Edward had seen Carmen snapping away a few minutes ago as her daughter sang.

"No, little sweet. He wasn't—" For as much as Edward wanted to slate Marley's sperm donor – he didn't deserve even the title of biological father, as far as Edward was concerned – her sweet, guileless expression as she peered up at him so trustfully just wouldn't let him do it. He couldn't break her heart by telling her what a fucked-up individual he'd been. Possibly, one day Bella would tell her a bit about him when Marley was older and could handle more of the truth, but Edward couldn't bring himself to.

"Mamma got a little help to make you because she wanted you so darn much." Edward tickled her belly, setting his _Coke_ can on the piano. He hoped it would distract her; it didn't.

"What about baby Bodhi? Did she get help to have him too?" She asked as soon as she'd caught her breath and stopped giggling.

Edward sighed. "Yeah, little sweet. Mamma had help making both of you."

The frown was back on Marley's face. Edward absolutely hated it and fought the urge to lean in and kiss it away. He only ever wanted to see toothy smiles on his pretty little sweet's face. Seeing her so contemplative, so serious and wise beyond her years, made him uncomfortable.

"What does a daddy do? What's their job?"

Her new line of questioning confused him, but Edward answered as best he could manage. "Well, they help the mummy changing lots of nappies when the babies are small, and they give them cuddles and teach them all kinds of fun stuff like how to ride a bike, eat spaghetti, read…lots of things."

Marley's eyes twinkled with something akin to mischief, but there was curiosity there, too. "And swim?"

"Yeah, little sweet. And they teach their babies how to swim. Why? Where's all this come from, huh?"

Marley sucked in a deep breath, her little body shuddering with force. She looked over to Peter and Rosalie, who were just finishing their dance, then raised her gaze to Edward and stared into his eyes.

Suddenly, under Marley's scrutiny, Edward felt incredibly scared. He felt very small, as though she was looking at him under a microscope.

"Edward, will _you_ be my daddy?"

Like a fish out of water, Edward opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. He couldn't get any air into his lungs, but at the same time, he'd never felt more alive. His heart raced like a thousand wild horses, and his palms abruptly felt clammy.

 _Edward, will you be my daddy?_

Every part of Edward wanted to scream 'yes!'…except the tiniest, most infinitesimal part of him. For almost the past eighteen months, he'd been playing dad to Marley – and to Bodhi, once he'd arrived. He'd changed the nappies, read the bedtime stories, wiped the snotty noses, and kissed the boo-boos that should have been their dad's job. Edward had fallen head-over-heels for his little sweet, _tesoro_ , and Bella. There was no doubt about that and never had been.

But until Bella fessed up and admitted that she loved him, there was a tiny part of himself Edward had to hold back. It wasn't on purpose, and he'd have given anything for Marley, Bodhi, and Bella, but still…he couldn't let go and be all in until he knew that Bella was, too.

"Don't you love me, Edward? That's what daddies do, too, isn't it? They're s'posed to love their babies, aren't they? And you love me! And you teach me all the stuff…like to eat spaghetti and read and swim."

Suddenly, it became glaringly obvious why Marley had asked those questions – 'what's a daddy's job?' She wanted to compare Edward's answers to the things he did with her and had done with her ever since she opened up to him back in Montana.

Not her paternal grandfather or her uncle, but him.

She'd felt a connection to him even then; Edward would be lying if he said he hadn't felt drawn to the silent little girl, too.

As he choked on words too reluctant to leap to freedom, Edward wondered if there were even enough words to describe exactly what Marley meant to him. He was almost certain that no explanation he could give would adequately describe just how much he loved his loving, beautiful, tiny little sweet.

"Marley, of course, I love you. You're my little sweet! You're my best girl, my little sidekick. But I—" _don't have the right to call myself your daddy, even though it would make me the happiest man in the whole world._

If he hadn't been so distracted, so discombobulated by this totally unexpected line of conversation, Edward might have noticed the footsteps approaching from behind, or the babble of a baby reaching for two of his favorite people.

As it was, the first he knew of their presence was a distinctly feminine gasp when Marley blinked her lashes at him, tears threatening to fall as she whimpered, "please, Daddy?"

Despite having dreamed about this moment hundreds of times, and imagined how it would go countless others when she called out "Edward!" at the park or when she wanted to say 'goodnight,' Edward wasn't at all prepared for how he would feel hearing Marley call him 'Daddy.'

It was like…the most exhilarating roller coaster. It was that petrifying but fantastical moment when you reach the tallest point, and you're about to fall.

The DJ inviting the guests to join the dance floor didn't even register. Nor did the scent of a familiar perfume until Bella slumped onto the piano bench beside him, her eyes filled with tears, lips pursed.

His heart stuttered and restarted, thudding hard enough in his chest that he was almost certain it was going to break free.

"Bella, I—" Edward trailed off. He had no idea, none whatsoever, what to say.

She inhaled shakily, letting Bodhi slap at the piano keys with abandon. "Marley, you can't just decide something like that, okay? It's not that simple."

Edward's heart broke. It split wide open and fell to his feet. _She doesn't want it. She doesn't want_ me _._

"I mean," she continued hesitantly, apparently unable to meet Edward's gaze. "You need to _ask_ and not push something like this on Edward. It's not…you can't just force him if he doesn't want—"

"Can I stop you there, just for a second?" Edward interrupted, his hope tentatively renewed. Bella nodded. He closed the lid of the piano and lifted Marley to sit there. Now eye-level with her, he huffed and blinked back a fresh round of tears. "Little sweet, do you understand what you're asking me?"

Marley nodded vehemently. "I want you to be my daddy. Like Uncle P is Aunt Rose's daddy, and Pawpaw is Mamma's daddy, and Uncle Arch is Carl-Roman and Chase's daddy. I want _you_." She leapt from the piano to wrap her arms around Edward's neck, burying her face in his neck. He moved automatically to catch her, but his hands remained frozen on her back as he cradled her small body against his chest, looking to Bella for help.

She had torrents of tears pouring over her cheeks and a sort of hopeful resignation swirling in the whirlpool of greens, blues, and grays that made up her eyes. "Edward, do you want this? You have to know for sure that you won't change your mind. I can't…I can't pick up the pieces if you change your mind. I just can't—"

"Do you really think I'd do that? Do you really think I'd change my mind?"

Bella stared into his eyes for what felt like a lifetime but was really only a few seconds. Edward hoped she'd see his resolve; his love, adoration, and commitment.

She did.

How could she not? It was written all over his face all day, every day.

Edward had been all-in for longer than anyone would ever know.

"No, I don't think that. I don't think you'd do that."

A soft sort of understanding blanketed the little quartet at the piano as Bella and Edward exchanged swiftly spreading smiles.

 _Are we doing this?_ Edward's eyes asked.

 _Yes,_ Bella's urged, dancing toward Marley before bouncing back to his face.

Edward sucked in a deep breath and carefully pried Marley away from his chest, holding her hands between their bodies as she rested back on the piano. He took a moment just to…look at her.

Her hair had escaped its braid, so loose, curled tendrils framed her wary, doll-like face. Edward's eyes trailed over her knitted brows and tiny frown, a small smile curling his lips; he loved the way her cute, button nose wrinkled when she frowned. She reminded him of a sweet, baby bunny.

"Little sweet, my beautiful little girl, don't ever think that I don't love you, okay? I love you…so, _so_ much. You, your brother, and your mamma are my whole, entire world." His eyes were stinging, and his heart hurt with the force in which it was beating, but Edward had never felt emotion like the joy racing through his veins at that moment. He squeezed Marley's hands gently. "Little sweet, I'd be _honored_ if you would let me be your daddy."

"Really?" Marley squealed, her azure eyes both wide and overjoyed as she beamed wider than ever before and bounced on the spot. "Really? You'll be my daddy? And baby Bodhi's daddy? You gotta take both of us."

"Little sweet," Edward croaked out a chuckle, reaching up to stroke her rosy cheek before pulling Bodhi into his lap so they could share a three-way cuddle. "Nothing would make me happier than to be your daddy – and that's _both_ of you."

The cameraman was standing nearby talking to Carlisle and Esme when he heard the excited squeals from over by the piano. He managed to right his camera and capture the moment Marley threw herself at Edward from the perfect angle to include all of their faces – Edward's laughing, Marley's beaming, Bodhi's slightly confused, and Bella's tear-streaked.

Having squeezed Edward's neck almost painfully hard, Marley eventually pulled back with a happy little wiggle. She planted a noisy kiss on her baby brother's head and squished his chubby cheeks between her small hands before beaming and tugging Bodhi up by his armpits to face Edward.

"Look, baby Bodhi. This is our daddy."

 **~ oOo ~**

An hour later, when Bella told Rosalie what had happened, they both earned more than a few bewildered looks. Their faces were drenched in tears, though they hesitated on their descent and pooled within the wide smiles of the young women. Just two years ago, they'd been terrified, beaten girls living under the tyranny of a crazy man, thousands of miles from home.

Now, here they were, back in their hometown celebrating Rosalie's wedding.

And Edward…Edward wanted to be Marley and Bodhi's dad.

Bella still couldn't believe it. She kept casting glances toward them – the three amigos who hadn't left each other's side in the hour since they'd peeled themselves away from the piano to dance.

Apparently, Marley wanted her father-daughter dance, and Edward was unable to say 'no.' Of course, Bodhi couldn't be left out so he was there, too, chuckling away in Edward's arms as he swung his sister around.

"God, I need to go freshen up. I'm a total mess," Bella complained when the music changed, and Edward, Marley, and Bodhi melted into the crowd of guests. She swiped at her mascara-ringed eyes and sighed, but her smile was wide.

Rosalie squeaked and squeezed her pseudo-sister in another tight hug, her excitement reminiscent of a sugar-fueled Marley. "I'm so happy for us, Bella!"

"Me too, Ro. I love you."

Rosalie's baby-blues twinkled. Bella thought she saw mischief, but it was gone before she could be sure. "I love you, too. Go on then; you freshen up, and we'll have a dance when you get back."

Bella was only too happy to seek some peace and quiet in their suite on the fourth floor. If she'd paused for a moment, she might have seen the smug, hopeful smirk on Rosalie's face.

Holding the skirt of her dress so as not to trip or tear it, Bella snuck away from the ballroom. The elevator ride to the fourth floor was blessedly short with no interruptions. Letting herself into the room with the muted _click_ of the lock engaging behind her, Bella sighed and leaned back against the cool wooden door to soak in the silence.

Until it wasn't silent anymore

The soft sound of movement reached her ears; her eyes flew open. A few meters ahead was the living area, though the wall separating it from the kitchen prevented her from seeing who, exactly, was in the room with her. Before Bella could consider running, before her heart could take off at a frightened gallop, she heard a muttered curse in her favorite accent. Stifling a smile by catching her lower lip gently between her teeth, Bella stepped further into the suite and paused at the entrance to the living area.

Her eyes roamed over the room, lit only by the stars and the moon. She quickly found him.

Smooth, tanned skin rippled over the muscles of a strong back as he shed his shirt and tossed it over his shoulder, uncaring as to its destination. Bella's eyes followed the movement of sinewy arms as they reached up, long fingers raking through bronze curls. Warmth curled in Bella's stomach as her eyes ate up the view of the broad shoulders and fit physique of the man before her.

Moving so swiftly and quietly that he didn't hear her approach, Bella reached out with her fingertips to trace a slightly raised, jagged pink line. It stretched five inches around his side from his abs to his lower-back, and put a displeased frown on Bella's face. Though her touch was feather-soft, he startled and spun, hands shooting out to grip her upper-arms.

" _Cazzo_ , Bella!" Edward gasped, eyes wide, tightly pursed lips betraying his shock. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry for startling you," Bella whispered, suddenly ashamed of herself for creeping up on him while he was undressing. Mortification pinked her cheeks and chest.

"It's okay." Edward's face softened, hands loosening to caress rather than restrain. A shiver rippled through Bella's body as his fingers skated down; over her bare arms, then back up to tease the edges of her satin sleeves. "Are you cold?"

"No," she sighed happily, letting her eyes drift shut as he stroked her arms.

Edward didn't bother hiding the glee on his face when Bella closed her eyes and leaned into him. It wasn't the first time, but each time she demonstrated how much she trusted him by letting her guard down in his presence it put him on cloud nine.

It helped that he was still buzzing from his new title. _Daddy._ He played Marley's voice calling him 'Daddy' over and over in his mind.

It would never get old.

Unable to help himself, Edward lifted one hand and skimmed his fingertips over the apple of Bella's cheek before sliding them into her hair. In return, she gently caressed the scar where the bullet had torn his skin a year and a half ago.

The wound was long healed, though sudden, loud bangs still startled Edward at times.

"Stop worrying. It doesn't hurt."

"I see you wincing and rubbing it sometimes. Don't lie to me."

Edward scowled boyishly, but it fell away when Bella opened her eyes and smiled wryly at him a few moments later. "Why didn't you say anything if you've seen me doing that?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Touché," he grinned, chuckling.

Slowly but surely, the air around them began to heat, crackling with the intensity of their locked eyes. With his hands cradling hers, their wrists pressed together, he could feel her ever-increasing heart rate against his skin. Worried that he wouldn't be able to contain himself after such a wonderful day, and with emotions still running high, Edward forced himself to release her and step away. He could feel her eyes on him as he picked up a fresh white dress shirt and pulled it on, his black bow-tie hanging loose against his bare chest.

"Did you want me to stay up here with you, or are you heading back down to the party?" He asked softly in an attempt to stop himself from saying something else.

Three little words he was desperate to say, but even more desperate to hear.

"I'm not sure…" Bella answered hesitantly from behind him.

"You're not sure you want me to stay, or you're not sure you're going back down?"

"Both."

Concealing his wince was difficult, but Edward just about managed as he turned while buttoning his shirt. When it became obvious that he was struggling with the tiny buttons, Bella stepped toward him and reached out, gently pushing his trembling hands out of the way to slowly press each button through its corresponding hole.

"Are you all right?"

"F-fine," Edward stuttered. He berated himself internally, his throat burning with the effort it was taking not to blurt out the speech he'd been rehearsing for weeks. _Months, actually_.

To distract himself, he used his hands to map the dress Bella had poured herself into. The satin was soft and smooth under his exploring fingers. The look of wonder on his face as he rested one palm at the small of her back, right below that tease of a bow where the large expanse of exposed skin met the top of her behind, reminded Bella of the boy she'd once known. Back when they were both younger, both untainted by the world and its darkness.

The ruched material gave way as Edward trailed his free hand round and down to her hip, pulling her gently toward him just as she threaded the last button. Smiling shyly up at him, Bella rested one hand on his forearm while the other moved to cradle his freshly-shaven jaw. She missed his stubble already, and he'd only shaved earlier that day.

"What's wrong? Don't lie to me, Edward. I know there's something going on in that head of yours." At five-four, back in her ballet flats having ditched the painful heels, Bella was almost a foot shorter than Edward, but he wouldn't dare deny her at this moment. She felt oddly powerful and it showed in the steely glint of her eyes. He readied himself for whichever way she might take his words, hating that he had to protect his heart so strongly against this beautiful woman who wielded so much power over its every beat. He couldn't afford to be naïve.

There was every chance she'd reject him. It was a terrifying possibility, but the chance was there and frighteningly likely, however much he wanted to hope otherwise.

Inhaling deeply, Edward cast his eyes around the room to prolong the time before everything changed; whichever way this went.

Four floors above the ground and facing out over Eastbourne seafront, the only sources of light to illuminate the suite was the bright moon and its blanket of stars reflecting back off the ocean. Far off planets blinked in the distance and combined with their moon-shaped lantern to cast a pair of shadows across the lush, cream carpet. Memories of the past year and a half filtered behind Edward's eyelids in a poignant reel; memories of this beautiful woman showing him everything from her physical scars to her emotional ones. He remembered pictures the FBI had shown them of the house where she'd spent her years of captivity with Rosalie – and later, given birth to Marley. He'd seen photos of the country roads she and Rosalie had traversed when they finally escaped; the beginning of the desolate days when her depression worsened.

He'd seen all those things…but he'd also seen her since.

Memories of sunny days on Eastbourne beach with all the usual suspects, plus Marley, Bodhi, Carl-Roman, and Chase…

Of rainy days indoors playing board games and the kids' first snow angels on Charlie and Peter's driveways…

Of watching Bodhi clap and laugh with delight as he took his first steps toward his first birthday cake back in August, the precious moment recorded to be watched over and over, forever…

It had been a magical year and a half, and Edward had discovered what it truly meant to embrace life and live it to its fullest, and that was all because of Bella, Marley, and Bodhi.

Returning his gaze to Bella, Edward realized that she'd been staring up at him with her head cocked slightly to one side. Her expression was earnest as she waited for him to unload his troubles.

 _It's now or never, Cullen_ , Edward told himself firmly.

"Bella, I need to tell you something, but I don't know how you're going to take it," he began cautiously.

"I'm listening."

Edward sighed, leaning his face into her palm with a quiet hum and a tiny, lopsided smile. "You always are, right?" With her amused nod, he continued, blowing out a long breath. "Bella, I… _cazzo_ , this is harder than I thought it would be."

"Edward, you can tell me anything, okay? Anything. You know I won't judge you or think badly of you. Jesus, after everything that's just happened I can't believe you're even struggling to trust me right now."

Edward's face lit up momentarily at the reminder of what he'd always think of as the most magical moments of his life. Hearing Marley call him 'Daddy' and knowing that she and Bodhi would call him that from now on…it was incredible. Indescribable, everything he'd imagined and more.

"I know, I know." The cracked window nearby bade entry to a weak breeze, the air swirling Bella's curls before resting them against her shoulders. In the dim light of the waxing moon, her chocolate brown locks seemed to glow, and her eyes were reminiscent of the most beautiful tropical ocean.

Unable to help himself, Edward leaned forward and rested their foreheads together, eyes just an inch apart as he breathed her in and reminded himself that he'd done this first part before.

"Bella, I love you. You know that. But I—" He bit his tongue, pausing. "I've loved you for a long time now, and I promised you that I wouldn't push for you to feel anything for me in return. I just…you've enchanted me, Bella. I didn't mean for this to happen and I don't know what this will turn into, or even if it will turn into anything, but I can't just wait and not know, especially not now…you know, with little sweet and _tesoro_ …" he trailed off, knowing Bella had caught on when her lips curled up into a beautiful half-smile.

"You've told me that you love me before. Why are you so nervous now?"

Edward gulped. "Because that's not all I have to say. Bella, I know I promised I'd wait for you to decide what you want, but…is there any chance, any chance at all, that you've thought about it since then and might be able to put an impatient man out of his misery?"

As Edward's heart pounded a rapid tattoo, he felt the first sprigs of hope blooming in his chest. Her smile didn't fall, and she didn't push away from him.

In fact, her smile widened, and he felt her hold on him growing slightly tighter.

"Edward, do you know how much my babies mean to me? How much I love them?"

"Of course! You love those babies to death, I know you do. Those kids are everything – to you and to me."

Bella's lips twitched, her eyes crinkling at the edges. "So, then it shouldn't come as any surprise to you that I couldn't trust just anyone with them." She exhaled breathily, her body relaxing against his. "Do you really think I'd let Marley call you 'Daddy' if I didn't trust you completely? Do you think I'd let her and Bodhi get this attached to a man I don't love with all my heart?"

"Bella, I—" Edward stopped. His brows drew inward into a tight frown. "Does—" He stopped again, unable to speak through his throat. It was suddenly very tight. "Did you just say…"

Bella's small smile transformed into a fully-fledged, ear-to-ear grin as an almost delirious little giggle burst from between her lips. "Edward, _I love you_."

For the longest moment, Edward's mind froze and stuck on Bella's words. He couldn't spare any attention for the glinting ocean beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her, the star-spangled sky above, or the moon glistening pearly white like a beacon. His fingers trembled against the soft satin of her dress, the fine tendrils of her hair hanging down from her up-do almost hypnotizing.

It was sensory overload in the best way; Edward's heart thundered in his chest, desperately trying to work its way from his chest to get closer to the beautiful young woman in front of him.

 _My Bella,_ he thought tenderly, his adoring gaze roaming over her face. He could barely even see the shell of a woman he'd pulled from the flaming Montana motel room. That frightened girl was gone; a courageous young woman stood strong in her place.

She'd become his best friend and the woman he'd grown to love with all of his heart.

"Edward…"

His eyes found hers. They were brimming with tears, her cheeks dusty pink and dotted with light freckles. Bella's lips twitched upwards and sent a jolt to his heart.

"I'm sorry…"

Before Edward could panic, she inhaled a deep breath then released a year's worth of explanations and thoughts in one long tirade.

"I'm sorry I waited this long to tell you. I'm sorry I couldn't just be brave enough, but I wanted to make sure. I mean, I think I've known for…well, months, actually." She blew out a breath, her lips twisted in a wry half-smile. "You're kind of hard _not_ to love, you know?"

Edward's grin bordered on painful. "I'm kinda glad about that."

"I guess I also wanted to be sure that _you_ were sure. That sounds really dumb, I know, but…I had to be sure you weren't just here and being so lovely because of obligation or something. I know Archie asked you to come to Montana with Dad and Uncle Pete."

Memories of that day, that phone call from Archie asking him to go and support Charlie and Peter, were easy to come by. Edward regarded it as one of the most important days of his life. If he'd said 'no' his life would be very different now, and he'd never forget that conversation.

The conversation that brought him to his heart.

 _Absorbing everything Archie had said, Edward asked, "so what's happening? Chuck and Pete are flying out, I guess?"_

" _Yeah, that's actually what I'm calling about…" Archie trailed off._

 _Gazing up at the cerulean sky, Edward prompted him to continue._

" _I can't leave Carl-Roman and Chase, Ed. Or work. I already took a load of time off when Carl-Roman was sick in January, so my boss would go nuts."_

 _Another pause kicked Edward's heart rate up a notch. Where was he going with this?_

" _Feel free to say 'no,' man, I won't be mad. It's a lot to ask, I know that."_

 _Sudden comprehension dawned, and Edward's mind shot off a mile-a-minute organizing things, making a mental list of phone calls he needed to make, and calling up the name of his grandfather's friend who worked at an airline in Rome._

" _I'll go, man. Course I will. Is later tonight all right?"_

" _You're…you're kidding? You'll go?"_

 _Edward chuckled as he lifted himself up and half-walked, half-jogged towards the house, his wet feet slapping against the tiles on the way to his bedroom at the rear of the building._

" _I'm not kidding, Arch. Of course, I'll go with them."_

"He did ask, and I did do it for him," Edward admitted softly, "but when we got home, I thought about leaving a hundred times at first. Not because I didn't want to be with you, but because I wanted to be with you _so damn bad_ I could barely think straight. I might have come looking for you with your dad and Pete for Archie, but I stayed _for you_." His lips twitched, "well, you, Marley, and Bodhi."

Bella giggled, wearing her soft mummy-smile; the one that only ever appeared when she was thinking about her babies.

"Bella Swan, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. You're it for me, you and those babies."

"I'm sort of a mess sometimes, you know? I don't have my shit together, I'm almost twenty-three, and I still live with my dad and my kids, I have no job, no real education…I make mistakes all the time, and I'm stubborn to a fault…I'm no catch."

Edward reached up to cup her face, letting his thumb caress the apple of her cheek, his pinky finger lightly tickling the soft skin behind her ear. "I just want you, that's it. All your mistakes, smiles, giggles, tears, and laughter…everything. I just want you— _oomph_."

Bella threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in the juncture between his shoulder and neck. His pulse thrummed against her forehead, grounding her. She sucked in a shaky breath and exhaled the three words she wanted to shout from the rooftops.

"I love you."

A shiver rippled down Edward's spine, gooseflesh rising over his skin as he squeezed her tight. "I love you, too. I love you so damn much."

Pulling back slightly and sliding down Edward's body so that her feet rested flat against the floor once more, Bella smiled shyly. She felt a rush of heat spreading through her veins upon realizing where Edward's eyes were focused.

They were trained intently on her lips. Her tongue instinctively darted out to wet them; she watched as his grassy green eyes darkened to jade.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

She shivered, nervous but sure of what she was about to say. "Kiss me."

Though Edward was logically aware that it didn't, it felt as though time ceased to pass, the world stopped spinning, and the air was sucked from the room. "Are…are you s-sure?"

Smiling at the adorableness of this man, so strong and confident in most ways but nervous in this, Bella removed the last few inches of space between their faces. Her chest brushed against his as she adjusted her hands to rest on his shoulders. Subconsciously, her hand made the decision to relocate to rest right over the spot where she'd resided for far longer than she realized; his heart thumped beneath her palm.

"I've never been surer of anything."

Edward shuddered with restraint. Static energy crackled around them as he adjusted his stance slightly, tilting his head toward Bella. Their foreheads touched, emerald eyes meeting their beloved cerulean. Emotions that neither of them could identify, but both felt, swam within glassy eyes. For the briefest of moments, Edward spotted a hint of fear in Bella's gaze; the urge to flee.

"Don't run away. Stay with me. Please," he pleaded in a murmur. "You don't have to run from me."

Exhaling, Bella nodded with just a tiny dip of her head. "I trust you… _I love you_ ," she amended.

Their breaths mingled in the small amount of space separating their faces, hands soaking in body heat while their hearts beat in tandem. Heavy anticipation saturated the lavish suite.

Edward barely managed to restrain himself from all but mauling Bella as he slowly bent his knees just a little, gently tilting Bella's face up to his. Despite the fact that this moment had been months in the making, Edward couldn't relax. Not yet. Not until…

Moving slowly, _so_ , so slowly, he leaned in and let his eyes fall shut just as his lips brushed hers. This is real life, so there weren't bursts of fireworks or colors exploding behind his eyelids.

What there _was_ , was a deep sense of affection, of rightness, of being _home_ , finally. Edward's body simultaneously tensed and relaxed.

His lips couldn't be stopped as they spread into a grin against Bella's, whisper-soft and tender as could be. Warmth rose and encompassed them both. It overrode any nerves about this, their first kiss of what would hopefully be many. He felt giddy beyond belief, and a laugh bubbled up his throat.

It retreated abruptly when he felt Bella's lips begin to move. They were gentle and soft, her breath slightly sweet from the lemonade she'd been drinking all evening. After a moment, she became more confident, adding slightly more pressure and tightening her grip on him. Edward hummed against her mouth and felt his hands moving of their own accord; his fingers twined themselves in her sensuously silky curls, uncaring that they were undoing all of Tanya's hard work teasing them into a neat style earlier in the day.

He was all-too-aware that this was most likely Bella's first real, romantic kiss, and Edward wanted to make it memorable.

He cradled her head like the most precious piece of glass, kissing her until they were both breathless and pressed together from their feet to their lips, panting and lightheaded. Then he chuckled, leaning back just enough to be able to grin goofily at Bella. "I love you, _bella ragazza_."

Bella flushed under his scrutinizing gaze and pressed her heated face to his chest, beaming when she felt his still-racing heart and the rumbles of his chuckle against her cheek. His strong arms looped around her waist to hold her to him as his chin came to rest against the crown of her head.

They were peaceful and calm as they caught their breath, soaking up the comfort they freely offered to one another.

To know, see, and _feel_ that Edward loved her was a revelation for Bella unlike any other. Reaching one hand up to idly trace her kiss-swollen lips with a finger, she smiled. Even during her two misadventures into sex, she'd never been kissed; Bella was glad. As she hugged Edward tighter and let her tongue dart out to taste him, smoky from liquor and sweet from _Coke_ , Bella was immensely grateful that he'd been her first kiss. It was perfect in every way. _He_ was perfect in every way.

Bella tipped her head back to see him; he looked blissful. Edward sported a wide, lop-sided, double-dimpled grin beneath a pair of sparkling emerald eyes. "I love you."

Edward sighed a relaxed, relieved sound. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Bella barely had time to breathe before Edward scooped her up with a hand on each side of her waist, his loud _whoop_ of delight eliciting a shriek of surprise from her as he swung her in circles around the room before bringing her slowly back down until their lips were level once again.

"Bella, _mi amore_ , _ti amo_."

He sealed his 'I love you' with a kiss.

 **~ oOo ~**

" _Bella? Bella, are you in here?_ "

Edward huffed against Bella's lips and took a big step away from her. It killed him to do it, but he doubted she wanted Charlie busting them all but making out. And honestly, he'd like to discuss it with Charlie, get his permission to date Bella, rather than have him walk in on them locked at the lips.

She quickly smoothed her hair and licked her lips before calling out, "right here, Dad!"

With Charlie's footsteps approaching, Edward just about had time to shoot her a quick wink before her father reached the living area.

Charlie's shrewd eyes bounced between his daughter and Edward. Bella's dress was rumpled and bunched oddly at her hips, and her face was flushed crimson as she looked everywhere but at him. As for Edward…his shirt was wrinkled, hair an absolute state, and he'd never looked guiltier than he did now with his Cheshire cat smile.

Charlie grinned. "You finally grew a pair, huh?"

He took great delight in the way Edward attempted to sputter an explanation and Bella did an impression of a goldfish.

"Look, you're both adults. I'm not going to pretend that I don't wish you were still five and thought all boys had cooties, Bells, but I'm happy for you both. Okay? So just come here and give me a hug, and I'll pretend I didn't just bust you like a pair of misbehaving school kids."

Bella rushed into her dad's arms and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Dad."

Charlie returned Edward's smile over his daughter's head, feeling his eyes welling up just a touch. _My baby girl is all grown up._ "I love you, too, Bells."

As Bella pulled away and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up before heading back downstairs, Edward shuffled his feet and sighed with a mischievous twist to his grin. "So…does this mean I can call you 'Dad?'"

With a bark of surprised laughter, Charlie shook his head and adjusted his tie. "Like hell, son. You be good to my girl and my grandbabies, and I might just let you live. _Capisce?_ "

Edward smirked, crossing the room to shake Charlie's hand. Edward had no doubt in his mind that one day, he'd be shaking Charlie's hand as he gave her to him at their wedding. For now, he'd settle for making a promise he was only too willing to keep. "I promise you I'll take care of them, Chuck. They're my world."

Charlie's lips kicked up on one side, his eyes soft as he admitted, "I know they are, Ed. We have that in common."

"Okay, are we ready?" Bella appeared in the doorway, bright smile firmly in place despite her embarrassment of a few minutes earlier.

Charlie and Edward nodded, following dutifully as she led them back down to the party.

 **~ oOo ~**

They arrived at the ballroom just as Emmett and Rosalie began saying their goodbyes.

The congregation moved into a large circle formation to make it easier for the newlyweds.

Marley and Bodhi were the first to spot Bella, Charlie, and Edward.

They bounded across the ballroom, Marley leaping into Edward's arms while Bodhi asked Bella to pick him up with a soft, sleepy, "up, Mamma." He clung to her like a baby monkey, settling his head on her shoulder with a lazy smile.

"Daddy, where'd you go?" Marley asked with a bashful smile; though she was happy, it would take her a while to get used to calling Edward 'Daddy.'

Edward's grin was bookended by twin dimples as Bella patted her dad's shoulder, quietly explaining what had happened earlier in the night when she saw the stunned look on his face at Marley's new name for Edward.

"Mamma came to help me pick a new shirt, and Pawpaw came to find us because he thought we got lost," Edward told her with a mischievous glint to his eyes.

Bella and Charlie both knew that wasn't the truth at all, not that they'd say anything to Marley.

Marley sniffed at the reminder of her mishap, which had forced Edward to change shirts. She'd accidentally spilled orange juice on him, making him need clean clothes when he'd planned to have spoken to Bella by then.

 _It all worked out for the better, in the end,_ Edward thought to himself gleefully.

"You and Mamma took a _long_ time just to get a new shirt," Marley said succinctly, not realizing with all of her six years of wisdom that she was thoroughly embarrassing her mamma and daddy.

"It was a tough choice, little sweet," Edward murmured, shifting Marley so that she was dangling almost upside-down. Seeing an opportunity to distract Marley, Bella leaned forward to blow raspberries on the backs of Marley's exposed knees; her most ticklish spot. Marley's loud squeals attracted more than a few laughs and smiles, the cameraman leaving his post beside Rosalie and Emmett to snap a couple of quick photos of her laughter-wrinkled face.

When Rosalie glanced over toward Bella while Emmett hugged Carmen, she immediately knew that Edward's plan to tell Bella how he felt and ask her if she was ready for more with him had been successful. And judging by the exultant smile on Bella's face, she could safely assume her dear pseudo sister had finally come to her senses and admitted that she loved him, too.

By the time the newlywed, Mr. and Mrs. McCarty reached Bella, Edward, Marley, Bodhi, and Charlie, they'd been joined by Esme, Carlisle, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase, and all of the children were fast asleep in the arms of an adult. Rosalie's eyes instantly filled with tears as she pulled Bella into a hug, only just remembering to be mindful of Bodhi sleeping against his mother's chest.

"I'm so happy you finally got your head out of your butt," Rosalie sniffled, laughing aloud when Bella pulled back with a shocked smile.

"You _knew_?"

"Of course! Jesus, B – everyone knew!"

Emmett took Rosalie's place with a quiet chuckle, kissing Bella's forehead before stepping back to shake Edward's hand. "Congrats, guys. It was about time."

"Thanks, man." Edward smiled down at Bella. "It definitely _was_ about time."

With a gleeful grin, Emmett looked between Marley and Bodhi before gently clapping Edward on the shoulder. "I didn't mean you and little Bella, _Daddy_ - _O._ "

"What? What do you mean?" Esme asked, her gaze flitting between Emmett, Edward, Bella, and the kids. " _Daddy-O_ …Oh! Oh…" She breathed out noiselessly, her eyes filling with tears.

Edward's eyes were soft and teary as he nodded, answering her unspoken question as he looked at everyone in turn, his gaze landing on Bella last. "I'm 'Daddy' now."

A fresh round of tears and hugs were shared before Rosalie and Emmett admitted that they had to be on their way if they wanted to say 'goodbye' to everyone before jetting off on their honeymoon.

Two sunny weeks at Edward's house in Italy wouldn't wait; their flight took off in a little over four hours.

"I love you guys. I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

"Love you, too, Ro. Have a great honeymoon." Bella hugged her best friend as tight as she could with one free arm. "I'm so proud of you, sis."

Rosalie pulled back with tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face. "I'm proud of you, too, sis."

 **~ oOo ~**

"All right, I'm off to bed." Charlie's moustache twitched as he fought a chuckle, eyes dancing between a fidgety Edward and Bella. They were sitting a foot apart on the sofa in his living room, both with their hands in their laps and nervous expressions on their faces. "Remember…my room is right _up there_ …" he trailed off, pointing at the ceiling above – where his bedroom was – before huffing a laugh and heading upstairs.

Edward and Bella sagged against the cushions, heads tilting inward to face each other.

"He's loving this, isn't he?"

Bella snorted. "He sure is. He missed out on doing this until now. He's going to make the most of it."

"Great." Edward's plans of persuading Bella to stay up with him for a short – ah, who was he kidding? A _long_ make-out session – evaporated into dust when she let out a loud yawn and then giggled as she wiped the resulting moisture from her eyes.

"I'm going to head up. Bodhi will be up in… _oh, God,_ probably in about four hours."

Edward grinned. Bodhi had made a habit of waking at six every morning just to chat to his teddies, and Edward knew it was going to be murder for Bella getting up that early after such a late night. "Tell you what…I'll kip here tonight, saves walking back to Es and Carl's anyway, and I'll keep the monitor down here so I can come get him when he wakes."

Bella's smile was grateful, but turned calculating. "Edward…have you ever, ummm…" her cheeks tinted pink, igniting Edward's curiosity. "Have you ever snuck out of a girl's room before?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so?"

"Well, seeing as today is a day of firsts…you want to sleep upstairs with us and sneak out before Dad gets up? Just sleep!" She flushed scarlet. "I mean…it's got to be comfier than the couch, right?"

It was a pointless question where Edward was concerned.

Less than ten minutes later he found himself curling his arm around Bella as she made herself comfortable tucked into his side, her head pillowed on his chest, her calves wrapped around his legs further down the bed.

"Are you comfy?" Edward whispered.

"Very," she murmured, hesitating for a moment before pressing a light kiss to the skin over his heart.

It didn't take long for Bella to fall asleep. Her breaths evened out within minutes and fanned across Edward's chest as he lay there, unable to sleep but wearing the biggest smile of his life.

He couldn't help but replay his day on a loop in his mind.

" _How're you holding up, man? Cold feet?"_

 _Emmett chuckled and caught the balled-up thermal socks Edward threw at him. "My feet are toasty warm, thanks! What about yours?" His waggled eyebrows told Edward that his conversation with Rosalie a few days ago hadn't stayed private._

 _The tips of Edward's ears flamed. "That little imp told you, didn't she?"_

" _Of course, she did! I know all about your plan to woo little Bella." Emmett's expression turned serious as he crossed the room and clasped Edward's shoulder. "For what it's worth, I don't think you've gotta worry. She loves you, man. She just needs to realize it."_

" _Thanks, Em."_

 _Shaking off their emotional moment, Emmett and Edward shrugged on their suit jackets and headed downstairs. Carlisle, Archie, Charlie, and Jasper were there waiting._

" _Here you go, son. A bit of Dutch courage to get you through the day."_

 _Emmett was visibly flustered as Charlie shoved the glass of amber liquid into his hand. His eyes darted toward Peter – his soon-to-be father-in-law._

" _Ah, I don't think I should…"_

 _Peter laughed. "Don't you worry about me, son. You're marrying a Hale woman. You're gonna need that and more. Get it down your throat and don't be such a girl."_

 _Emmett downed his drink with a grateful grin._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Upon arrival at the hotel where Emmett and Rosalie would shortly be married, Emmett had his first flash of nerves._

" _What do you mean, the celebrant is running late? Rosie will have a shit-fit." He turned to Edward. "Fuck, man, what do we do?"_

 _Edward floundered under Emmett's intense, worried gaze. "Look, I'm sure we'll be able to sort it."_

 _Thankfully, their saviour arrived just in time to stop Emmett going on a nervous rampage._

 _Esme sashayed into the room looking positively regal in her lilac dress – it had a pencil skirt and cap sleeves that flattered her figure perfectly. "Calm down boys. I've just spoken to Marge, and she's a few minutes away."_

" _Thank fuck."_

 _Esme smacked the back of Emmett's neck lightly. "Less of the cussing. It's a special day."_

" _Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Es," Emmett said sheepishly, rubbing his neck._

 _She beamed up at him – at least a foot shorter than Emmett's six-four – and adjusted his tie. "How are you feeling?"_

" _Good. No – great. I'm excited."_

" _I'm glad." She went around and straightened all the men's ties, ending with Carlisle's. "Hello, handsome. Are you keeping these boys in line?"_

" _Of course, my love," Carlisle told her with a wink, leaning in to kiss her forehead once she'd righted his silver tie._

" _Good. Well, I'm going back to the girls." She turned to Emmett with the soft, maternal smile she so often wore. "Emmett, your Rose…" Esme sighed dreamily. "She looks beautiful. You won't know what hit you."_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Of course, Esme was right._

 _When Emmett laid eyes on his bride for the first time…words didn't describe how happy he felt. It was written all over his face though, and Edward wondered if he wore his love for Bella so plainly._

 _Edward had been unable to keep his eyes from Bella throughout the ceremony; unable to stop himself from picturing her as a blushing bride with himself as her doting groom._

 _She was so effortlessly beautiful. Ethereal, almost, in her shimmering gown with her hair piled atop her head in a chocolate crown. Edward didn't know the name of the style her dress was or the technical term for her hairstyle, but he did know how to describe the look as a whole; stunning. He'd never been so in love before and it both frightened and exhilarated him._

 _As for Marley and Bodhi…_

 _His pride knew no bounds. Watching Marley gently lead her toddling baby brother down the aisle, both of them dressed to the nines in a pretty dress and a miniature suit, made his heart feel as though it was going to burst. Not for the first time, Edward wished they were his to be proud of and love. He wished they had his features mixed with Bella's and were conceived with the love he had for their mother instead of the fear Bella must really have felt. Edward wished that when Marley misbehaved and Bella had to call her full name, it was 'Marley Rosalie Cullen' instead of 'Swan.'_

 _Selfishly, he just wished they were his. In his heart, he felt like they were._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Daddy. I'm their daddy._

 _Edward couldn't believe his luck._

 _Marley wanted him to be her daddy – hers and Bodhi's – and now he was._

 _As he twirled Marley around the dance floor and blew raspberries on Bodhi's chubby cheeks just to hear him chuckle, Edward's eyes flitted to Bella._

 _Now, all he had to do was persuade Bella that they had to be a family._

 _A real family of four – Mamma, Daddy, Marley, and Bodhi._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _He couldn't stop._

 _Her lips tasted sweet, and he was already addicted to the sugar high._

 _Between increasingly heated kisses they took turns being the first to whisper 'I love you's,' their hands gripping harder with each passing minute._

 _And it had been a few – minutes, that is._

 _Edward lost track of time somewhere between Bella trailing her fingers over his bare scar and admitting that she loved him._

 _Charlie's entrance was like a bucket of icy water being thrown over them._

 _._

 _._

 _._

" _Sweet dreams, beautiful girl. I love you."_

" _Love you, Mamma…" Marley mumbled, snuggling into her bed with her beloved Mr. Eddie._

 _Edward still found it funny, and heartwarming, that Bella had named her daughter's stuffed rabbit after him. She said it was coincidental, that it had been the first name to pop into her head because of his red-brown fur._

" _Night, little sweet. Sweet dreams only, promise?"_

 _Marley's eyes opened – just a little, but enough that she could see Edward leaning over her with his elbows resting on the edge of her bed. "Can I dream about ice cream?"_

 _Edward chuckled. "As long as it's our favorite."_

 _She rolled her sleepy eyes. "I only like—yawn—watermelon, duh."_

" _All right. Night, sleepyhead."_

" _Night. Love you, Daddy."_

 _Bella's hand appeared and squeezed Edward's shoulder as his eyes filled with tears._

 _How could three words so simple – love you, Daddy – render him, a full-grown man, to mush?_

" _I love you, little sweet. So much."_

 _He pressed a kiss to her curl-covered head and stood, squeezing Bella to him before moving to Bodhi's crib. The sweet one-year-old was fast asleep in his colorful, elephant print sleeping bag, arms up over either side of his crazy bed-head. Edward chuckled to himself as he realized that Bodhi may not have his hair color, but his locks sure shared the gene for being untamable._

" _I love you, tesoro."_

 _When Edward rose from bending to kiss Bodhi's head and turned to face Bella, he found her teary-eyed sitting on the edge of her bed._

" _I'm okay, I'm okay. I just…I love you. A lot."_

 _Edward smiled gently, recognizing overwhelmed when he saw it._

 _Silently, softly, with a lingering kiss to the top of her spine, he helped Bella un-zip her dress. Then Edward averted his eyes and undressed himself down to his boxers while she pulled on a pair of jersey pajama shorts and a matching tank top. When he turned back and realized what she was wearing, Edward fleetingly wondered how he was going to keep his traitorous body in check sleeping so close to her in just that minuscule amount of fabric. He quickly decided that whatever he had to do would be worth it to be able to sleep with Bella – just sleep, because he knew she was in no way ready for anything more than that._

" _Do you want the window side of the bed, or…?" Bella asked shyly._

 _Edward couldn't stifle his grin. "This is so…couple-y."_

 _Bella snorted and rolled her eyes, looking every bit like her daughter had just a few minutes ago when she rolled her eyes at him. "Our children are calling you 'Daddy,' we've been outed to our entire family, we've exchanged 'I love you's' and just now you're realizing that we're 'couple-y?'" Bella frowned. "What?"_

 _Edward shook his head, well aware that he was wearing a goofy smile. "It's just…it sounds really good. 'Our children…' I like that."_

 _Bella's smile softened, and she scooted back onto the bed, beckoning Edward over to join her. They shuffled under the covers to lay side-by-side, Bella hesitantly curling into Edward as he looped an arm around her and willed his body to behave._

" _I like it too. They are though, you know? Marley and Bodhi are_ our _children."_

 _Edward squeezed her closer. "I need to thank your dad again."_

" _My dad? Why?"_

 _His body shook with silent laughter as he mumbled, "for teaching you to share."_

"Mmm, Edward…"

Edward was pulled from his thoughts by Bella's sleep-talking. He grinned and stroked the soft skin of her arm with his thumb.

"I love…" he held his breath, waiting for her to continue, "PB&"

His laughter was incredibly difficult to stifle, but he just about managed to keep himself from waking Bella. His mood sobered as she wrapped herself further around him and threw her leg over his, her thigh resting perilously close to Edward's groin.

" _Cazzo_ ," he whispered, praying he'd be able to keep himself in check.

"I love Edward..." Bella mumbled then, putting the smile back on his face.

"I love you, too, _bella ragazza_ ," he whispered into her hair, resigning himself to a restless night.

It would be worth it. _She_ was worth it.

For all the trials they'd faced thus far, and the doubtless tribulations sure to come their way in the future, it was worth it to be able to hold Bella in his arms and hear his favorite little voices calling him 'Daddy.'

Yes, they would have to work out their relationship as they went along. Edward doubted there were many relationships founded on one rescuing the other from a flaming hotel room after a twelve-year stint in captivity. On one teaching the other how to live and love after spending the majority of his life hiding in a big, lonely house in the middle of nowhere, Italy.

And yes, one day, Marley and Bodhi would ask about their biological fathers, and if Bella and Edward wanted to be honest parents – which they did – they'd have to explain how they really came to be; or at least come up with a version of the truth they could handle. Edward already had plans to speak to Bella about asking Riley to try and work out where Paul Lucien – Bodhi's biological father – was, just to rule out any possible conflict there. That could wait, though.

But in between those things?

They'd get to be a family. A real family. They'd get to go on holidays together, play at the park on weekends, go for ice cream after school when the kids took that step, and snuggle up together on the sofa to watch movies when the British weather didn't play ball.

Edward would get to be a daddy to Marley and Bodhi and a partner to Bella.

Those things were priceless and precious and made him happier than he ever had any right to be.

Life was about to get crazy with Emmett and Rosalie on their honeymoon. Edward starting work with Charlie and Peter at Swan-Hale Construction, and then there was the upcoming Christmas holidays, but as Edward fell asleep that night wrapped in Bella's arms wearing a smile, their babies sleeping close-by, he knew it would all be worth it.

He had his friends, his family, his health, Bella loved him, and he was a daddy to two amazing children.

Anything else was inconsequential now that he had the one thing he hadn't even realized he'd been looking for; until Bella and her beautiful babies had unknowingly shown him just how tantalizingly close it was.

Nothing else mattered now, because Edward had found it. That elusive, magical thing romance writers write about and song writers sing about.

Happily ever after.

* * *

 **...**

 **I promised those sweet three words ever since the beginning...some almost 250,000 words ago! and here they are; FINALLY!**

 **I have a bunch of thank yous, obviously.**

 **The first is for** SunflowerFran **. She was the first PM I received and the first to spread the news of this big baby's birth ;) Fran, you've been a cheerleader, my beta, and I like to think a friend. I'm so glad you messaged me and took on this mammoth task, and that you've put up with me and my comma issues for all this time. I really, truly appreciate it.**

 **The second ginormous thank you is for** annaharding **. You've also become a great friend and I always look forward to our late night-early morning plotting across from opposite sides of the ocean *haha* Without your critical eye I'd have missed a bunch of great opportunities with this and I'm incredibly grateful.**

 **Thank you to** RebAdams **for writing such beautiful poems to go with each chapter. I'm going to go back in at some point and include them in my A/Ns, because they're just amazing.**

 **Thank you to** Gabby1017 **for recc'ing this over on her fantastic story '** Rescue Ink **!' It's one of my fav's, so if you haven't read it, check it out! Also, thank you to** trainwreque **for recc'ing PP with her story,** **'** The Bookkeeper **,' which is also amazing!**

 **I lost track pretty quickly of where this was being recc'd, so if you shared or reccomended it to anyone, put it on your site/blog, or even talked about it at the TwiFic Meet-Up in Vegas (I had a few message me saying they heard about it while they were there, so THANK YOU!) just know that I love you all for loving on these characters like I do. For a first-time fic author, I've been blown away by the support you all have shown me and PP. It's blown my mind and I'll never forget how lovely you've all been.**

 **There are a tonne of people who've reviewed on every single chapter - all 38 of them so far! - so THANK YOU to all of you!**

 **Now...many of you have asked, and here it is:**

 **There WILL BE a sequel! *fireworks***

 **The banner is made, the prologue is written, and I've started work on the first few chapters. If you're up for that, add me to your author alerts so you'll be alerted when the new story posts.**

 **I'll probably look at posting it soon, but before that...**

 **THREE EPILOGUES! Yes, that's right; THREE. I couldn't stop at just one, so over the next week or so I'll be posting the trio of epis, which will lead nicely into the sequel.**

 **Anyway...I've babbled forever, so I'll let you get back to your day. I honestly wish I could hug each and every one of you for cheering me on and making this roller coaster such a fun experience. I'm tearing up! I'm going to be a wreck when I mark this 'complete!'**

 **Love and hugs to all of you xoxo**


	40. Epilogue Pt1

**News of the sequel went down swimmingly, just as I hoped!  
I'll be posting the cover over on the** _ **Pay It Forward**_ **Facebook  
page as well as my author page, 'Ciara Shayee – Author' so keep  
your peepers open for that. It's pretty cool, if I say so  
myself ;)**

 **As always, I need to say a huge THANK YOU to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
You're both amazing, wonderful ladies and I couldn't  
do this without you! **

**Any mistakes in here are all mine. I tinkered *covers face***

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF  
** **page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
** **your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
** **summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Epilogue**

 _ **September 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **, 2018**_

"I can't do this."

"You _can_!"

"No. I really, really can't. It's too scary. This place is huge! I can't…Don't make me do it."

Edward's eyes softened. He twisted in his seat, cupping Bella's petrified face between his hands. "Bella, _bella ragazza_ , take a deep breath."

With fear in her eyes and a gray pallor to her cheeks, Bella inhaled shakily and released when Edward mimed for her to do so; she sucked in another breath, then another.

"Feel a little better?"

Bella nodded. "Please, Edward, I can't do this."

With a soft sigh, Edward stroked his thumbs over her cheeks, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to Bella's forehead. "Look, _mi amore_ , I know you're scared. It's a huge day." He blew a big breath out. "God knows, I'm terrified, too. The only time I've ever been more scared was when I thought I was going to lose you."

Bella sobered a little, tears resting on her lashes but not falling. "You're scared, too?" she asked in a small voice.

"I am. Petrified. I couldn't sleep last night, worrying about it. But you know what?"

Bella cocked her head to one side, making Edward smile as he nodded out of the windshield. Their eyes moved in tandem, a quiet giggle leaping from Bella's lips.

Charlie was standing by the bonnet of the car with Marley, the duo pulling funny faces into his phone; Bella remembered Charlie had promised to video call Eleazer so that he'd be able to see Marley this morning.

So that he could wish her luck on her very first day of school.

"She's fine, _mi amore_. And she'll _be fine_. She's ready for this. She's _been_ ready for probably longer than we realize."

Not for the first time, Bella wondered if she'd failed Marley by keeping her home for the past year and a half. She knew conversations about Marley's educational needs had been had – with her therapist and within the family. Now, seven-years-old, Marley should be starting year two of school – which would be her third year, had she attended reception.

And yet, Bella had spent the past week in limbo; her worry for Marley's first day at Hampden Park Infant Academy tempered only by Marley's excitement and everyone's repeated assurances that Marley was ready to get out and learn with children her own age.

As she watched her daughter squeal and animatedly describe all the things her new teacher had said they'd do during her induction last week, Bella knew in her heart of hearts that Marley was ready. Like Edward said, she'd _been_ ready for some time. Every time Carl-Roman jibber-jabbered on about the things he'd done at school, Marley wore a wistful frown. She wanted those experiences, too. And she was so _, so_ excited to now be starting at the same school Carl-Roman had graduated from just a few months previous.

Bella's smile widened as she remembered just how over the moon Marley had been after her trial period last week. She'd spent three hours with her class and her new teacher, Miss Bailey, and hadn't stopped talking about it all week.

"We're doing the right thing, aren't we?"

"We are. You know she'll do amazingly, _mi amore_. Come on; let's go see our baby off on her first day."

Edward and Bella disembarked from his car – a family-oriented purchase Edward had indulged in shortly after Christmas; the _Vauxhall Mokka X_ had scored high on the rating chart he'd spent weeks perfecting.

Bella joined Charlie and Marley at the front of the car, her smile wistful when Charlie set his granddaughter on her feet and she grinned up at her mother with a brightness to her eyes that was only present when school was mentioned.

"Is it nearly time, Mamma?"

"Almost, baby girl."

Crouching, Bella adjusted the ruffled sleeves of Marley's red t-shirt and straightened her pleated, white shorts. "Are your shoes comfy?"

"Yep! I _lo-ove_ them!" Marley did a little jump, clicking the heels of her new, white _Mary Janes_ together with a proud giggle. She looked far older than her seven years dressed in her sweet outfit; her hair tucked back with a selection of barrettes and a cream and white lace bow from one of Bella's favorite _Etsy_ stores. Even her face seemed different to Bella. Marley had matured in the past two years; there was no doubt about it.

Bella had thought the same over the weekend when Rosalie had put together a 'first day of school' photo shoot for Marley. She'd donned her uniform and posed with shiny red apples, stacks of books, and with a chalkboard listing all her current favorites. Apparently, it was a tradition Bella had missed, but Rosalie insisted it was something they should do and Marley had loved it; even Bodhi had snuck into a few of the photos.

"Are you ready for school, little sweet?"

"Daddy!"

Bella watched Marley bounce into Edward's waiting embrace with the goofiest of smiles on her face. It never got old, hearing Marley call Edward, 'Daddy.' She did it often, too. The excitement of having a daddy for the first time hadn't worn off yet, and she utilized as many opportunities as possible to call him by his new title. Edward definitely wasn't complaining, that was for sure. Even now, he was wearing that disarming, double-dimpled, 'Daddy' grin Bella had fallen in love with.

"I'm ready for school, Daddy. Pawpaw's got my backpack," she motioned over her shoulder at Charlie. Just as she said, he was clutching her Dalmatian backpack in one hand, the matching lunch bag in the other. He, too, was sporting a wide, Cheshire cat smile.

Carlisle, Esme, Peter, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase made their way over, Rosalie and Emmett close behind with Bodhi between them clutching their hands; his legs pumped furiously to catch up with the rest of the group. When he saw his mother, he let go of his auntie and uncle and sped up, crashing into Bella's legs with a delighted giggle.

Bella looked down at him, her heart giving a hard thump. He looked utterly adorable dressed in mint-green cotton shorts, a gray and white striped hoodie with mint-green sleeves and hood, and a pair of baby _Timberlands_ to match Edward's. Oh, and his gray slouch beanie.

It was the slow, sweet smile on his face that killed Bella, though.

"Hey, baby boy. Did you play on the slide?"

"Uh-huh! I pwayed on the swide, a-a-and the swings!"

Bella scooped him up onto her hip with a dreamy sigh, peppering his face with kisses until he squirmed his face into the crook of her neck and demanded that she stop with his adorable stutter; he often tripped over words when he was over-excited. Everyone was working on it with him, reminding him to take a breath before talking. Sometimes it worked, but sometimes, on days like today when he was allowed to play on the equipment in the playground of his big sister's new school, his stutter was all but irrepressible. Warmed by her baby boy snuggling into her, Bella turned back to Marley.

"Are you sure you have everything?"

Marley frowned at her outfit, glanced around at her bags, then turned back to Edward with a confused head tilt. "I think so?"

Edward winked at Bella, placing a palm on the hood of his car to make sure it was cool enough before setting Marley down and reaching behind his back to remove a flat, white box from his pocket. "I've got a little something for you to celebrate you starting school, little sweet. You can wear it today as a lucky charm, but after that, you'll just have to wear it when you haven't got school, okay? It's a non-uniform day today, but from now on you'll have to wear the dress or polo shirts Mamma picked out."

"Okay, Daddy! What is it? What is it, what is it, what is it?" She bounced on the hood, clapping her hands together with wide, gleeful azure eyes.

Bella took a step closer just in time to see Edward holding up Marley's present; she couldn't help but swoon when she saw it.

"A bracelet like Mamma's!" Marley crowed.

"Yeah, little sweet." Edward looked pleased as punch with Marley's reaction. He fastened it around her wrist, holding her hand up to point out each of the three charms dangling from the silver chain. "An 'M,' for you. A family tree, to represent our big, crazy family," he tickled the soft skin behind her ear to make her giggle, then pointed to the third and final charm. "And this one is a book, to celebrate your very first day at school."

Marley beamed, stroking her new jewelry. "I love it, Daddy. Thank you! And I love you."

She threw herself into his arms; the muffled sound of a bell ringing dragged Bella's eyes from the tear-jerking sight in front of her, to the school building.

"Oh! It's time! C'mon, guys, we gotta go!" Marley bounced down from the hood of the car, jingling her bracelet proudly as she tugged her Pawpaw toward the building. "Let's _go_!"

"All right, Mars," Charlie chuckled. "We're going." He glanced at everyone gathered around them, "Are we all ready?"

A chorus of 'yeses' rang out, so he took Marley's hand and let her lead him across the playground. They made quite the posse – Charlie and Marley heading up the group, with Edward and Bella holding hands behind them, Bodhi in Bella's arms; they were followed by Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase.

When they reached Marley's classroom, she bounced on her feet and pointed to the blue door. "Look! It's got owls on it 'cause I'm in Owls! That's my class!"

Edward grinned for his daughter's benefit and wound an arm around Bella's shoulders to keep her from dissolving into the tears he could see gathering on her lashes. "That's right, little sweet. Have you got your owl?"

Marley took her bag from Charlie and removed the small, stuffed white owl from the front pocket. "Got it!"

"And what's his name, Mars?" Rosalie asked with a smirk.

Marley giggled behind her hands. "He's called _Snowy_ , Aunt Rose! You helped me pick, silly!"

"Oh yes, so I did." Rosalie shot Marley a wink and a cheeky smile, crouching down and beckoning her close. Holding Marley's hands in hers, Rosalie sighed. "Are you excited, Mars?"

"Yes! So _, so_ excited! I'm gonna learn so much stuff! And Miss Bailey is really nice."

"You're gonna make a ton of friends, little Missy," Emmett told her softly, leaning in to gently boop her on the nose. "They're all gonna love you."

Marley was passed around her family members, a few of the other parents shooting the large group curious looks. Some recognized Bella and Rosalie, but none interrupted. Archie and Peter were standing between their family and the rest of the corridor so anyone who did try would have to get past them.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Marley arrived in front of her parents and brother.

"Mawi!" Bodhi cried, stretching toward her. Bella let him go so the siblings could share a sweet cuddle and kiss; she was thankful Esme had thought to take photos. Her mind was like mush right now, and she was struggling with the idea of scooping both of her babies into her arms and running home with them.

"I'm going to school, baby Bodhi," Marley told her brother seriously, cupping his cheeks in the palms of her hands. "Be good for Mamma and Daddy, 'kay Beesy?"

Bodhi nodded seriously. "'Kay. You comin' home for wunch?"

"No, I'm gonna have lunch here with my new friends. You can have lunch with Mamma." Marley leaned in, glancing over Bodhi's head at her mother. "You've gotta look after her and make sure she doesn't get all girly and weepy. Promise?"

Bodhi looked back at Bella before turning to grin at Marley. He held out a chubby fist, pinky finger extended as well as the one beside it; he hadn't quite gotten the knack of extending his pinky by itself, yet. "Pinky pwomise!"

"Oh God…" Bella breathed, gripping Edward's arm to steady herself. He made a soft, soothing sound and kissed her temple.

"Little sweet, come here," he called softly. She leaped neatly into his arms, content to be held on his hip on this occasion even though she 'wasn't a baby anymore, Daddy.' He'd lost count of the amount of times she'd informed him not to baby her because she was seven now and a big girl.

Even now, dressed for her first day of school with her backpack on and her classroom just feet away, Edward wasn't sure he'd ever be able to see her as anything other than his baby girl; that tiny, precious little girl he'd fallen in love with back in Montana.

 _The girl was sitting in the corner of the room by the solitary window. There was a chair right beside her, but she was sitting cross-legged on the floor, stretching her neck up to be able to peer out of the window. In her lap she held a tattered bunny toy, her fingers kneading it, up and down the ears._

 _All eyes swiveled to Charlie as he took a step further into the room._

 _He was staring, transfixed. His gaze swept over the mane of chocolate curls adorning the child's head, a frown twisting his brow when he saw her skinny arms and legs. They weren't scarily thin, but she didn't appear to have an ounce of baby fat on her like Carl-Roman did. For a five-year-old she looked much older, her profile not rounded like her cousin's. She was dressed in a dark gray tracksuit, tiny feet encased in a pair of black trainers. She was miniature, like a little doll. Charlie had never seen a child of her age so small. Her year-older-cousin Carl-Roman would dwarf her._

 _The air in the room seemed too thin as Mandy called out to Marley in a soft voice. The child's head turned as if in slow motion._

 _The first thing they all noticed immediately were her eyes. Big, guileless, sea-colored eyes._

She was a million miles from that tiny, terrified child.

He'd watched her flourish and thrive and had no doubt that she'd continue to do so.

"Little sweet…Mamma, Bodhi, and I love you very much. We're so very proud of you."

"Aww, Daddy," Marley whined, her cheeks flushing pink as she wriggled free from his arms. "I love you too, but…"

"'But,' what, little sweet?"

She toed the carpet, batting her lashes at him coyly. "You're acting all mushy and _embarrassing_!"

Edward didn't get a chance to respond before a dark-haired blur shot between Archie and Peter's legs, skidding to a stop in front of Marley.

"Marley, hi!"

Mouth gaping like a fish, Edward felt Bella slide her fingers between his as the boy grinned a toothy smile at his baby girl, showing off the gap at the top of his mouth where two new teeth were growing in.

"Hello," Marley mumbled, uncharacteristically shy. She ducked her head and smiled at the boy from beneath her lashes.

Edward felt his stomach twist unpleasantly as he watched the interaction. "Uh, little—"

" _Leave them!"_ Bella hissed, amusement coloring her tone. "This must be the boy she was talking about. You know, from the induction day? She sat next to him and shared her snack."

Edward frowned.

 _Marley was standing against the wall between a dark-haired boy and a girl with white-blonde hair when Edward and Bella walked toward her, Bodhi swinging between them. When she spotted her parents and brother, she beamed with delight and ran toward them, flying straight into Edward's arms as Bella scooped Bodhi up onto her hip._

" _Little sweet, did you have a good time?"_

" _Oh, Daddy, it was_ so _great! I made a star out of my hand and some paint, and I got to make loads of new friends!"_

 _Edward chuckled, peppering kisses over her excitement-reddened cheeks. "I'm glad, little sweet."_

" _The other kids were nice, then?" Bella asked softly, a relieved smile on her face._

 _Marley nodded quickly. "Really nice, Mamma. On my table, there's Riley, Matty, Dave, and Bree. Oh! And Jacob, but he likes 'Jake' better." Her cheeks tinted pink. "Jake's really nice. We shared our apple and grapes so we could have some of each."_

Until Bella had mentioned it, Edward had forgotten all about this, ' _Jake, Sharer of Snacks_.' He was smiling at Edward's baby girl like she hung the moon, gawping when she gave him a wide smile.

"My peg is next to yours. You wanna go hang our bags and find our seats? Miss Bailey says there's a present for all of us in our spot!"

"Sure!" Marley darted away with her friend, leaving her family laughing behind her.

Edward felt like he was going to puke or punch something; he wasn't sure which. "That boy's got the hots for our baby!" Edward cried.

"Oh, Edward. They're seven! They're just friends. It's nice Marley has a friend to go to class with."

Edward and Bella watched as Jake offered to put Marley's bag on the hook below the name she'd colored in last week; they snorted when she stubbornly refused his help and insisted she do it herself. "She's just like you," Edward told Bella, nudging her side with his elbow before blowing a raspberry on Bodhi's neck to hear him chuckle. Bodhi reached for Edward with grabby hands; he greedily snatched up his son, happier when he reminded himself that they had three years before Bodhi needed to be starting school.

"You still need me, right, _tesoro_?"

"Wight, Daddy!" Bodhi planted a loud, slightly slobbery kiss right on Edward's lips, putting a grin back on his daddy's face.

Marley heard the sound of her brother's smacking kiss and shot Jake a look before tearing back down the hallway, crashing into her dad's legs to mumble, "Love you, Daddy."

Six-foot-three, broad, and muscular, with the beginnings of a beard, because Bella had admitted she liked it, Edward was the last person expected to be spotted tearing up on his daughter's first day of school.

But he did.

His emerald eyes filled with tears as he reached down to stroke Marley's hair, holding her small body to him until she tugged away with a wide smile. Through his tears, he was surprised to see the reassuring glint to her expression. _She_ was trying to reassure _him_ ; the irony was not lost on Edward.

"I love you, too, little sweet. Go get 'em, baby girl."

Marley paused to give her mother a hug and a kiss before running off to join Jake in the doorway of her classroom, Miss Bailey waving to Marley's family, calling that she'd see them later.

That was it.

Just like that, Marley had grown up, right in front of her adoring family's eyes.

* * *

 **All right, so…**

 **at some point between writing the sequel and attempting to keep up with real life, I'm going to be working on a separate FF story of outtakes – things I didn't cover in the main story. If there are any in particular you have a burning desire to read, please drop me a review or a PM. I'll be picking two or three for now and will add more as a I go along.**


	41. Epilogue Pt2

**I loved you all sharing your first day experiences with me  
in your reviews and responses to my replies. I'm sorry if I didn't  
get around to yours - this week has been...so busy.  
**

 **It's my furbaby's first birthday tomorrow so I've been trying to  
sort party stuff (yes, I'm THAT sad dog parent) but just to  
freak me right out, Dakota ATE A SOCK. Yes, you read that right.  
So we've been on #sockwatch for the past week praying it would  
come out itself and not need surgical intervention.**

 **Thankfully, we got home from work Wednesday and it was  
in the middle of the living room! Woohoo! I'll spare you the  
details, but lets just say I stayed in the hallway while my  
other half dealt with it *hahaha***

 **Huge THANK YOUs to  
** SunflowerFran **and** annaharding **  
who put up with my relentless stupidity when it comes  
to the comma / semi-colon debacle. I'm useless with both  
and I know it, but I'm trying! :)**

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF**

 **Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Epilogue – Pt. 2**

Bella felt lost.

It wasn't like Marley had never been out for the day before. Rosalie occasionally took her out for a girly pampering day, or just to run errands. Bodhi, being a total mamma's boy, usually stayed home with Bella, so the sound of him playing with his trucks on the floor in the kitchen was nothing unusual.

However, Bella's intense need to clock-watch was.

 _10:45a.m._

Marley had been at school for an hour. Just one hour, and Bella was going stir crazy.

Edward had gone off to work with Charlie, Emmett, and Peter. He'd texted shortly after leaving Bella, reminding her to try and stay distracted and that he loved her, but she knew they were busy on a project they were desperately trying to finish before winter so she'd refrained from peppering him with texts.

As she fidgeted with her bracelet and shot a glance toward Bodhi, content to play by himself as long as she was nearby, Bella wondered how she'd fill her time. Marley would be at school five days a week for six and a half hours. What on Earth was she going to do for all that time?

" _Coo-ee! Anybody home?_ "

"Mimi!" Bodhi dumped his digger and jumped to his feet to run out into the hall. Bella sighed with relief; Esme was here. She'd help distract her.

"Are you playing with your trucks, sweet boy?" Esme asked as she carried him into the kitchen a few moments later.

"Y-yep! Pway wiff me, Mimi?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, hon. Mimi's got to go to work. I just popped in to drop off your sister's car seat."

Bella's burgeoning hope deflated. Marley had ridden to school with her beloved Pops and Mimi, so of course, Esme needed to return her seat. Bella and Edward would need it to collect her later.

"Thank you, Esme. I'd totally forgotten, if I'm honest."

Esme gave Bella a warm, sympathetic smile. "Are you struggling?"

"A little." Suddenly, Bella felt ashamed. "It's stupid to be so…lost. Isn't it? I mean, she's only been gone an hour, and I'm just…I have no idea what to do with myself."

A thoughtful look crossed Esme's face. "I tell you what…Do you fancy a little trip out with me? Just for the morning; we'll probably be back by lunchtime for this boy's nap."

Bodhi giggled as Esme tickled his belly. "No, Mimi! No naps for Beesy!"

"Ummm, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." Esme winked at Bodhi. "You just grab a jumper and some shoes you don't mind getting dirty, and I'll meet you out in the driveway."

Without another word, Esme and Bodhi disappeared outside, leaving Bella to follow. She grabbed a gray, zip-up hoodie from the stool at the counter, her keys from the side, and Bodhi's _Paw Patrol_ bottle from the floor beside his trucks, then trotted out to the hallway where her _Timberlands_ sat neatly on the shoe rack.

" _They'll do_ ," she mumbled to herself, tying the laces nice and tight before heading outside. Esme loaded Bodhi into his seat once Bella unlocked the car, then walked round to take the driver's seat while Bella climbed into the passenger side.

"Have you thought any more about driving, sweetheart?"

Bella frowned. "I have…I'm just a bit nervous about the lessons, you know? I've gotten better with strangers, but the thought of being in a car with someone I don't know..."

"It's okay, you don't have to explain yourself to me." Esme twisted to look behind her as she reversed out of the driveway. "I just wondered, is all. You'd have a lot more options for going places while Marley's at school if you could drive yourself around."

She had a good point; it was something Bella had considered more than once, especially in the past hour. She'd be able to take Bodhi out to the park or the beach or visit the supermarket without having to wait for Edward, Charlie, or Esme to go with her. The idea of being more self-sufficient was one Bella loved. It was the same when she thought about her living situation.

Living with her dad was great. She loved spending time with him, seeing his face light up when he returned home to a cooked meal and the kids' excited squeals. But every now and then she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a home of her own. Somewhere she lived with Edward, Marley, and Bodhi, like a normal family. That elusive 'normal' she'd once told Rosalie they didn't need, she now craved. As a young woman in a relationship with a man she adored, and a mother of two young children, Bella couldn't deny that the idea of being self-sufficient and having a home of her own did carry a certain appeal.

But Charlie…how could she tell him she wanted to leave; that she wanted to take the children and leave him in an empty home once again?

"Penny for them?" Esme asked teasingly, pulling Bella from her morose thoughts.

She peered out of the window, frowning when she couldn't recognize the road they were on. Trees and fields spread for miles, the road they were on muddy and thin.

"I was just thinking about Dad. He's so happy having us live with him."

"And you're worried he'll never want you to leave?" Esme surmised when Bella didn't add anything else.

Bella flushed, tipping her head back against the headrest. "Yes. I don't ever want to upset him like that, but Edward and me…and the kids…We can't live with him forever, can we?"

"No, sweetheart. Well, you _could_ , I suppose. But it would be quite cramped, and eventually, Bodhi and Marley will need separate rooms. To be honest, Marley could probably do with her own room now."

Bella frowned. "I know. I think we'll end up having to re-decorate Carl-Roman and Chase's room—"

"Ah, my baba! Mamma, I dwopped my baba!"

Reaching round, Bella managed to grab Bodhi's bottle and pass it back to him.

" _Gwazie_ , Mamma."

Bella shot her boy a wink; nothing was cuter than her sweet boy speaking in his baby Italian. "You're welcome, baby boy." Turning back to Esme, she sighed. "Yeah, I think we're going to have to re-decorate the boys' room for Marley and Bodhi. They have sleepovers in there sometimes, and they seem to like sharing for now. I guess we'll have to work something out soon, though."

"Mimi?" Bodhi called quietly.

"Yes, sweet boy?"

"Where we goin'?"

Bella faced Esme; she was wondering the very same thing.

Esme smirked. At that moment, she looked impossibly like her nephew. They weren't related biologically in any way, yet he had her smirk perfected. "We're going to Mimi's work, hon. Do you want to help Mimi with some animals?"

"Oooh, yes pwease, Mimi!" Bodhi bounced in his seat, dropping his bottle on the floor to stretch up and look out the window. They turned off onto a gravel track, Bella just barely managing to read a sign as they rolled past.

 _Breaking Dawn Second Chance Rescue._

"What is this, Esme?" Bella abruptly realized that she didn't know a lot about Esme's volunteering. She worked as an interior designer most of the time, but she often mentioned her volunteer work in passing.

"A client of mine runs this place. It's a second chance rescue center for animals of all shapes and sizes. Dogs, cats, horses, rabbits…You name it, they probably have it or had it here at some point. I did some decorating in the main house a few years back and just fell in love with the farm, the animals, and the wonderful volunteers. I started helping a few weeks later, and I come here as often as I can between jobs."

Bella marveled at Esme when they rolled to a stop, and all clambered out onto the dirt track. For a woman who loved her designer clothes and already had such a busy schedule with work and her family, she surprisingly didn't look at all out of place in a pair of worn jeans, a red and gray check shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a padded, gray gilet. Her hair had been twisted back into a bun on top of her head, and as Bella sighed, hoping to one day be as put together as Esme, she donned a pair of fingerless gloves with a bright smile.

"Right! Shall we have a little tour?"

"Let's go, Mimi!" Bodhi cried, happily taking Esme's hand and following as she led him toward the closest building, Bella trailing behind and taking it all in.

The house looked like a typical, English farmhouse. It had a gabled, thatched roof, white outer walls lined with dark wood beams, and a cute, yellow front door framed by luscious green vines. As the trio climbed the three wooden steps up to the door, Bella smiled to herself; it felt homey before they'd even stepped inside.

Esme let herself in with just a quick _rat-a-tat_ with the brass, chicken-shaped knocker, ushering Bodhi and Bella in with her. The inside of the house wasn't what Bella expected, at all.

"Oh, hi, Es!" a boy of around fifteen called.

Bella's head turned toward his voice, and she was stunned to see a quartet of desks arranged in a square formation where the living room should be. The boy was sitting at the desk nearest the door. He had a mop of fire-red hair and piercing gray eyes, and when he got up to join them in the hall, he offered them all a wide, toothy grin.

"You brought friends?"

"I did. Tyler, this is Bella, and this young man here is Bodhi."

"Nice to meet you, Miss," Tyler chimed, then kneeled in front of Bodhi, who'd tucked himself behind Esme's legs and was peering out at the older boy with shy, wide azure eyes. "D'you like animals, little dude?"

Bodhi glanced up at Bella; he turned back to Tyler with a hesitant, tiny smile when she offered him an encouraging wink. "Yes," Bodhi mumbled.

"What's your favorite?"

"Ummm…dogs. I _wove_ Aunt Awice's and Uncle Jazz's dog, Bonnie."

Tyler's grin widened. "Oh, yeah? We've got tons of dogs here you can play with." Tyler looked up at Esme. "Did you have plans, or…?"

Esme was grinning, as if she'd expected this to happen. "No, none. I just thought I'd bring them out to see the place."

"Well, whaddaya say we go and meet some cute puppies, little dude?"

Shyness forgotten, Bodhi eagerly abandoned Esme for Tyler and trailed after him down a corridor. Esme looped an arm through Bella's and led her in the boys' wake.

"This house is…a bit weird?" Bella laughed.

"It sure is. The whole downstairs is dedicated to the rescue. The owner and founder – Renee – lives upstairs. You'll meet her at some point today, I'm sure."

Bella took in her surroundings with a sense of wonder. Instead of a regular kitchen and dining area, the cupboard doors had been removed, and the shelves were lined with tins of animal food and bowls. A metal veterinarian table stood in place of a dining table, several trollies of paraphernalia Bella couldn't hope to recognize standing nearby along with a tall lamp on wheels.

Esme pointed to a door after the kitchen, which apparently led to a washroom and toilet, and then a sitting room where the volunteers took breaks and stored their lunches.

Then they stepped out through a screen door onto a porch that ran the length of the back of the house; Bella gasped.

"That building is the medical building. It's a little run-down at the moment, so we're holding a fundraiser sometime in November to raise money for the renovations."

Until Esme mentioned it, Bella hadn't even noticed the tired looking building to the left. Her eyes were trained on the barn to the right, and the lower, stable-shaped structure branching away from it. Tyler paused with Bodhi right outside the barn doors to let Bella and Esme catch up. Before they stepped inside, Bella froze; she could hear the quiet sounds of horses in their stalls and smell hay in the air. She was sent back to a different time…

To a different barn thousands of miles away.

Esme, obviously noticing that Bella's mind had wandered astray, squeezed her arm gently and led her forward once Bella had smiled and nodded, mouthing, 'I'm okay.'

As she allowed Esme into the barn, Bella sucked in a deep breath and forced herself to look around to remind herself that she wasn't _there._ She was in England, safe with Esme and her baby boy nearby. It helped that it looked completely different from the barn in Montana. This barn did house horses, but it also housed several cows, a pig, some goats, and Bella could hear a donkey braying as she smiled; watching Bodhi charge around with Tyler, a look of wonder on his face, she relaxed.

Tyler and Esme showed Bodhi and Bella around the barn, introducing her to some friendly residents. When they left through the same doors they'd entered, Bodhi declared that his favorite was Bessie the Jersey cow because she had pretty eyes.

As the quartet neared the next building, Bella spotting a dog out of the corner of her eye; she suspected Bodhi's favorite was going to change very shortly. Just like his sister, Bodhi was dog obsessed. If Bella managed to drag Bodhi away from an entire building of dogs today, it would be a miracle.

 **~ oOo ~**

"See ya later, little dude. Come back again soon, a'right?"

Bodhi nodded sleepily, sucking on his binky. "I will."

Bella smiled; Bodhi would be asleep before they hit the main road just a mile or so down the track.

"It was nice to meet you, Miss," Tyler enthused when Bella turned to him.

"You, too, Tyler. Thank you for your help with Bodhi. You're great with him."

Tyler shrugged, his cheeks glowing crimson. "Aw, I've got two little brothers. I'm used to rugrats."

"Still, I appreciate your help."

"All right, Ty, I'll see you tomorrow. Be good!" Esme called, climbing into the car once she'd changed out of her muddy _Wellington_ boots into a pair of _Uggs_.

"See ya tomorrow, Es! Bye, Miss Bella!"

As they sped down the driveway toward home, Bella sighed and relaxed into the buttery leather seat, turning her head against the headrest to face Esme. "Thank you, Esme. I really needed this. The time sped by!"

It was true; the time had flown by once Esme had set her and Bodhi to work measuring out kibble for the dogs' lunches. The clock on the dash read _2:10 p.m._ In just a half-hour, Bella would need to go back out to pick Marley up from school. She pulled her phone from her pocket and quickly typed a message to Edward.

B – **Are you home? xx**

E – **Almost. Where are you? x**

"It was my pleasure, Bella. I thought it might keep you busy."

Bella smiled, attaching a photo of Bodhi having his hair nibbled by a rambunctious Labrador puppy to her next text to Edward.

B – **Esme took us volunteering. Bodhi made a new friend xx**

"It certainly did that. I'd have gone stir crazy sitting at home all day. And Bodhi clearly loved it."

Esme giggled, stretching to look at Bodhi in the rear-view mirror. "Look at your boy."

Bella twisted, snapping a photo of him. Bodhi had fallen asleep, head tilted against the side of his seat, a line of drool escaping from behind his blue binky. He had Mr. Bear clutched in his lap and was out like a light, just as expected.

As they turned onto the main road, which would take them home, Bella felt her phone vibrate with an incoming call. Edward, Marley, and Bodhi lit up the screen with Edward's self-appointed new moniker below.

 **Hubs is calling**.

Bella knew when she called his phone, an image of her and the children came up with ' **Wifey is calling** ' written underneath.

She was trying not to think too much of it. They weren't married, of course, but Edward's new love of acting as though they were and nicknaming her 'Wifey' spoke volumes about where he saw their relationship heading.

"Hey, handsome," Bella breathed.

" _Hey,_ mi amore _. So, are we now a family of five?_ "

Bella felt a pang in her chest, her mind jumping to thoughts of being a family of five. Edward, Bella, Marley, Bodhi…and number five.

"Ummm…what do you—what do you mean?"

Edward chuckled. " _The puppy? Was that your subtle way of telling me we've got a dog?_ "

"Oh! Oh, no." Bella felt Esme's eyes on her, no doubt wondering about the embarrassed flush on her cheeks; Bella had jumped to the wrong conclusion. "He's already reserved."

" _Hmmm. You don't sound happy about that,_ mi amore _._ "

"Well, Ralph – the puppy – was very sweet. Bodhi _loved_ him. I honestly wasn't sure we were going to be able to leave without him, at one point. I almost snuck him out under my jumper just to stop the inevitable tantrum, but Bodhi was really good."

Edward hummed again. _"So you'd be amenable to a dog, then? For the kids?_ "

Bella hesitated for a moment. _Would she?_ She was well aware that it would be left to her to look after a dog as Edward worked, Marley went to school, and Bodhi was too little but would eventually be going to school, anyway. The idea of some company, even the four-legged kind, did have an appeal. Plus, the kids would be overjoyed. They loved to visit Alice and Jasper's Boston terrier, Bonnie, and always spent the subsequent hours after their visits begging for a puppy of their own.

"In the future, I suppose," she eventually hedged.

"Bene! _Very good. All right, so you're on your way home? We'll probably get in at the same time. Chuck let me go early so we can take our girl for ice cream._ "

"Bodhi's fast asleep, handsome. Ice cream may have to wait."

"I can take him, Bella," Esme offered, flicking on the indicator before turning onto their street. "I'll take him to my house and bring him right back when he wakes up, if you want?"

" _Tell her 'yes,'_ mi amore _!"_

Bella laughed; apparently, Esme spoke loud enough for Edward to hear. "That would be lovely, thank you, Esme. But please—"

"Don't tell him," Esme finished her sentence with a soft laugh. "I know. Don't worry, I won't rat you out."

"Esme is going to take Bodhi back to her house," Bella told Edward.

" _Okay, good. I see you._ "

Bella's eyes darted around instinctively, an automatic smile spreading across her face when she spotted him.

He was leaning against the side of Charlie's car in the driveway. He had his ankles crossed, arms folded across his chest, crooked, double-dimpled grin firmly in place. He'd cut the sides of his hair but let the top and his beard grow out at Bella's request and looked like the stereotypical builder; dusty black t-shirt, torn jeans, _Timberland_ boots and all. As they glided to a stop at the curb outside her father's house, Bella sighed girlishly and hung up the phone, slipping it into her pocket as she watched Edward do the same. Her fingers itched to run through his hair, her lips desperate to be joined with his.

"All right, I'll let you go get our girl. Give her kisses from Mimi, okay? I'll see you in a bit. Don't rush back, though. Carl and I will take Bodhi to the park if he wakes up before you're back, and I'll drop the car keys through the door," Esme said with a knowing smile.

"Thanks, Esme. You're a star. I'll see you in a bit."

Each step from the car toward Edward felt like the Grand Canyon. Bella took the last few at a sprint, but stopped inches away from Edward.

"Hey, _mi amore_."

Bella smiled up at him from beneath her lashes, abruptly shy. "Hey, handsome. Good day?"

"Much better now."

His voice was slightly husky yet somehow also smooth. Above all, it was warm. He reached out gently to run his fingertips over her jaw, tickling his way back to the soft skin behind her ear; Bella shivered.

"Cold?"

"No," she breathed, exhaling a long breath of relief when he wound his free arm around her waist to tug her toward him. Bella fell against his body and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, stretching up onto her tiptoes to press a featherlight kiss to his lower lip. For a guy, he had wonderfully full lips. They fit perfectly between and around her own. "I love you."

Edward hummed, letting his tongue glide out to caress her lips before pulling back with a grunt. "I love you. But we have to go get our girl, and if we carry on like this, she'll be standing there thinking we've forgotten about her until tea time."

Bella grinned and gave him one last peck before stepping back and resting her hands behind her back. Edward made a soft sound of want and frustration in the back of his throat, leaning in to kiss her forehead just once.

"All right, let's get going."

The drive to Marley's school didn't take long, and soon Bella and Edward were walking hand-in-hand down the corridor to her classroom. The windows separating it from the hallway were decorated with owl stickers in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Edward paused in front of Marley's peg, a wistful little smile on his face as he reached out to trace the people she'd drawn within the letters of her name above it.

"That's us, isn't it?" Bella asked softly.

"It is. Everyone, actually. There's Arch, Emmett, Rose…Chuck, Peter…I think that's Carl-Roman and Chase...They're all in there somewhere."

"You must be Marley's parents."

Bella and Edward swung to face the deep-voiced arrival. He was almost as tall as Edward, with jet-black hair and almost-black eyes, tanned skin, and a lanky frame. Bella frowned, then realized who he must be.

"And you must be Jake's dad. He looks just like you. I'm Bella, Marley's mum, and this is her dad, Edward."

"Nice to meet you both!" The man smiled, flashing bright, white teeth. "I'm William, but most just call me 'Will.'"

Will shook their hands, then huffed with a softer smile. "All Jake talks about is 'Marley did this' and 'Marley said that,' ever since their induction last week. I think he's got a bit of a crush."

Bella squeezed Edward's hand, hard, feeling him tense slightly.

"Aw, I don't think so," Edward ground out, his eyes almost pained when Bella glanced up at his face. "They're just kids. They don't even know what a crush is."

Will laughed; the sound annoyed Edward, though he didn't know why. "I dunno. He seems pretty infatuated." He leaned in to nudge Edward with his elbow, thankfully missing the way Bella muffled her laughter at her other half's consternated expression. "We could be related one day, man. Wouldn't that be cool?"

Edward was just about to tell him how that was _never going to happen_ when the bell rang.

" _Saved by the bell_ …" Bella giggled under her breath.

"What was that, Bella?" Will asked pleasantly, bringing a teasing smile to Edward's face.

"Hmmm? Oh, nothing. I'm just excited to see my girl," Bella said brightly, smacking Edward to stop him from laughing when Will wandered away to talk to another set of parents.

"God, he's a loon. No way in hell are we going to be family one day," Edward muttered, eyes trained intently on the door as it swung open slowly. The kids came to the doorway one-by-one, Miss Bailey asking them to point out their parents to be called over to collect them.

Bella was looking up at Edward, but she knew the exact moment Marley came into view; his lips stretched into a wide, crooked grin. His 'Daddy' smile. He only wore it for his little sweet and _tesoro_.

He took her hand and led her toward the door, Bella's eyes falling to Marley. Her bunches were nonexistent, her curls wild, and eyes bright as she leapt into Bella's arms with a squealed, "Mamma!"

"Hey, baby girl," Bella laughed, crouching and squeezing her daughter to her chest. She smelled like grass, her strawberry shampoo, and cookies. "Did you have a good day?"

"I _did_!" Marley breathed, pulling back to beam at her mother.

Miss Bailey laughed, drawing Bella and Edward's attention from their daughter for a moment. "You have a very intelligent, sweet little girl."

Marley was clearly delighted with the praise; Edward was, too. He glowed with pride as he scooped Marley into his arms and smothered her with kisses.

"Thank you. We certainly think so," Bella murmured.

Once Miss Bailey had given them a quick run-down of Marley's activities, they thanked her and headed off with their girl skipping between them. Their offer of ice cream was received with excitement and an exuberant 'yes, please,' so they were shortly pulling up outside her favorite shop.

"Mr. Pops' Ice Cream Shop!" She cheered from the backseat.

"Do you want your usual, baby girl?" Bella asked, pointing Edward and Marley toward their usual seat – they always sat on the picnic bench overlooking the beach, because Marley liked to try to count the seagulls swooping overhead and bobbing on the surface of the water.

"Yes, please, Mamma. Ummm, and please can I have some sprinkles? Chocolate ones."

With an indulgent grin, Bella nodded and headed inside. There was no need to ask Edward which flavor he wanted; like Marley, he always had the same.

"Bella!"

Bella's smile widened, the owner of the store hurrying around the counter to wrap her in a tight hug. "Hi, Jase. How are you?"

"Just dandy." He pulled back with a cheery twinkle to his light brown eyes. "How'd our girl's first day go?"

"She did great, apparently. We have 'a very intelligent, sweet little girl,' according to Miss Bailey."

Pops beamed. He and Marley had struck up a bond when she, her parents and brother became regular customers in his ice cream shop. She adored the exuberant, flamboyant man, and he, in turn, spoiled her with extra toppings. "Well! That calls for the Marley Special!" Jase leaned in closer to Bella, mischief curling his lips. "Did you bring Marley's delicious DILF with you?"

Bella sputtered a laugh, Jase positively gleeful as he released her and returned to the other side of the counter to begin preparing the Marley Special – which was basically a mound of ice cream with every topping imaginable and what always appeared to Bella to be an entire bottle of chocolate syrup.

"I'll be right out, Bella. You go take a seat. You want your usual?"

"Yes, please," she giggled, grabbing a handful of tissues from the stand; no doubt Marley would need them.

When Bella stepped outside, she was surprised to see Edward standing and talking to a couple, Marley bouncing around with a little boy who looked to be a year or two younger than her.

"Ah, here she is! This is my Bella," Edward said with a grin, tucking Bella under his arm as she made her way over with a smile. "Bella, this is Cameron and Izzy, and little sweet is playing with their son, Milo."

Bella grinned and surprised herself by not tensing when the other woman threw her arms around her for a greeting; then she shook Cameron's hand. "Ummm, nice to meet you both!"

Cameron grinned with a soft chuckle, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the kids squealing and kicking a football around. "Your daughter is beating the crap out of my boy at soccer."

"Oh! You're American?" Bella gasped, immediately recognizing the twist to his words. She smiled, her eyes dancing over to the children. They were having a whale of a time, their laughter attracting the attention of people walking past and sitting outside the nearby café.

"We are. We're over on a…what d'you call it, B?"

Izzy rolled her eyes with an affectionate, indulgent smile in Cameron's direction. "A familymoon, dear." She looked to Bella, shaking her head. "He can remember every single stat from the Superbowl five years ago, but he can't remember the world 'familymoon.' I've had to remind him every day."

With a light laugh, Bella squeezed Edward's waist. "I think that must be a man thing, to be fair. Edward's not so good at remembering things like that, either."

"Hey! Ed, man, we're being ganged up on, here!" Cameron protested teasingly, mirth in his pretty gray-blue eyes.

By the time the ice creams came out a few minutes later, the group was fast friends; Milo had even declared Marley his new best friend. Marley shared her monstrously big ice cream with him, and both Bella and Izzy took a myriad of photos of the pair smothered in syrup and ice cream as they giggled about meaningless things. They also made sure to add one another on _Facebook_ and keep in touch, both the children and the dads looking a touch bereft when their wives and mothers reminded them they had lives to get back to.

"See ya, Mars!" Milo yelled as Cameron carried him away on his shoulders.

"Bye, Milo!" Marley called, waving her hands wildly above her head as she walked backward between her parents, almost tripping over a small, rocky wall before Edward's hands shot out to steady her.

"Thanks, Daddy," she grinned, blowing him a kiss as she righted herself and jogged to catch up with her amused mother.

"That's okay, little sweet," Edward chuckled. "So, was that a good enough celebration?"

"Yep! It was fandabidozi!" Looking between her bewildered, laughing parents, Marley flashed her teeth in a bright smile. "What?"

"'Fandabidozi?'" Edward asked curiously.

"What? Mimi says it."

Bella rolled her eyes, winking when Marley peered up at her. "Well! If Mimi says it…"

The trio strolled happily, Marley holding her parents' hands as they meandered along the promenade overlooking the seafront. Bella sighed, gazing out at the sea. It was low tide, the moss-covered rocks visible in the shallow ocean, the seagulls enjoying the food made easily accessible by the extra expanses of sand.

"Mamma, what's for dinner?"

Bella turned toward her daughter. "Surely you can't be hungry already!"

Marley giggled, shaking her head. "No! I just wanna know."

Edward sighed, scooping her into his arms to carry her the last few meters to the car. She squealed and clung onto him, leaning in to press a trio of loud kisses against his stubbly cheek. "What were they for, little sweet?" Edward asked, wearing his Daddy Smile and soft eyes.

Marley shrugged, "I just love you, is all."

Bella silently shook with the restraint it took to hold back her laughter. Marley had him wrapped around her little finger, that was for sure. _Three…two…one…_

"Hey, Bella? How about we treat the kiddos to pizza tonight? You know, special occasion and all that."

Never one to miss a trick, Bella shot her calculating daughter a wink while Edward was focusing on unlocking the car without putting Marley down. "If you really want to."

"Marley? Do you want pizza?"

Marley pretended to think about it, her little brows scrunched and rosebud lips pursed. "Yeah, I guess that'd be all right. I mean, if you're sure, Daddy."

Edward grinned, flashing his dimples. "Anything for my little sweet!"

Bella shook her head as she climbed into the car and shot a text to Esme, inviting her and Carlisle to dinner and checking in on Bodhi, while Marley buckled herself in and Edward rounded the car to his seat. In the rearview mirror, Bella watched Marley smile to herself in the backseat.

 _Oh yeah,_ Bella thought with a rueful half-smile. _She definitely knows she has her father wrapped around her pinky._

"All righty then! Shall we go get our boy and have some pizza?" Edward crowed as he started the car.

"Yeah! Let's do it, Daddy!" Marley cheered.

As she watched Edward reach back to affectionately squeeze Marley's knee before steering them toward home, Bella felt a familiar flash of warmth toward him.

Yes, Marley had him wrapped around her pinky; but Bella had a sneaking suspicion that Edward didn't care in the slightest.

* * *

 **Two down...only one to go!**

 ***bawls like a baby***


	42. Epilogue Pt3

**Don't forget - please send me your suggestions  
for outtakes or things I missed out in the story  
that you'd like to see. I'll be picking a few to start with  
and working my way through :)**

 **The wonderfully talented** Rebadams7 **writes the most**

 **beautiful poetry! She wrote this for the final chapter  
of Pinky Promises, and I just adore it!**

 _There were two girls_

 _Just in curls_

 _Winding the way home_

 _When evil came_

 _And caught their mane_

 _And stole away their home_

 _Time did pass and articles crass_

 _And cruel came to pass_

 _A lucky day they broke away_

 _And took too a third heart fast_

 _In peril they fled so full of dread_

 _And barely survived fortnight_

 _Home at last and learning fast_

 _That all can come round right_

 _New places to fit new roles to share_

 _And open hearts again_

 _Dozen years and more matters not_

 _To fill broken father's hearts_

 _Till a sunshine day would send one away_

 _Not far but a new life true_

 _And with love found and now unbound_

 _The other wee girl grew too_

 _Now families can join and dance_

 _A new chapter in life at last_

 _Peace in the hearts_

 _And smiles abound_

 _Those two lost girls_

 _Now women well found_

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different  
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will  
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their  
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic  
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three  
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.  
**

 **If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF  
** **Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get  
** **your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a  
** **summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.**

 **My last A/N will be at the bottom, so I'll let you get on  
** **with this beast of an epilogue xo**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _When two little girls were allowed to walk_

 _home from school one bright spring day nobody could've_

 _predicted the events that followed. The way two families_

 _were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man._

 _Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen_

 _away from their homes at eight years old fight to take_

 _back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU_

 **Pinky Promises**

 **Epilogue – Pt. 3**

 _ **December 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2018**_

Bella followed the wailing.

She sighed as she made her way down the stairs, a basket of dirty washing tucked under her arm. Passing the doorway to the living room, Bella could see Marley crying into Edward's chest. Ever since Bonnie, the Whitlock's dog, died three days ago, she'd been sporadically bursting into tears; she was heartbroken.

Edward was busy murmuring to Marley so as much as it killed her, Bella left him to it and continued into the kitchen. Nobody could soothe her quite like her daddy. And besides, the sooner Bella was done with the few household chores that needed finishing, the sooner they could go out. Charlie had texted to say he was on his way home and Archie was meeting them at their destination with the boys.

Bella's heart hurt a little more at the thought of her brother and nephews.

Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase were in a better place now than they had been when Kristen left them a year and a half or so ago, but Bella still ached when she thought of her brother having to raise his sweet boys by himself. As far as she knew, Kristen hadn't seen Carl-Roman or Chase in almost six months. She'd shown up at their house the week before Archie's birthday back in June, but that was the last time anyone heard from or saw her.

Bella angrily shoved Edward's dirty work jeans and t-shirts into the washing machine; Kristen hadn't even bothered to call her sons.

That said, the boys were doing wonderfully without their mother. To be truthful, they weren't finding it much different. It was sad to say, but Kristen had been an absent parent since long before she actually made it official by packing her bags and disappearing. Carl-Roman asked about her very occasionally, but Archie had admitted to his sister that Chase hadn't once called for her or wondered where she was; he was simply used to her being gone, and didn't appear to be worried by her lack of return.

" _Mamma?"_

"In here, baby!"

A few seconds later, Bella slammed the washing machine shut and swiveled in her crouched position to face Bodhi. He was frowning and holding his hands out, palm-up. "I f-fell down in the garden, M-Mamma."

"Oh, sweet boy, come here." Folding Bodhi into her arms, Bella sat back against the cabinets and peppered kisses over her son's forehead. An uninvited memory flashed to the front of her mind.

" _I remember." Though timid and softly spoken, Scarlett's words were resolute. She remembered the squeaky door. Edward wasn't sure why, but he felt his lips tug upwards in response. The only thing stopping them from turning into a full-blown smile was the fact that she was still shaking violently on the kitchen floor._

" _Can I get you anything? What happened?" A shake of her head was all the answer Edward received. He rocked back on his heels, hating that he didn't know what to do, how to help. Musically talented? Sure, he could admit that, but schooled in dealing with tears? Not so much._

" _I c-can't stop sh-shaking," Scarlett suddenly moaned. Her hands slid up into tangled blonde curls, tugging hard as she rested her forehead on her bent knees._

 _Edward hesitated before asking, "Are you cold? Can I get you a blanket, jumper…?" Another head shake. No. His eyes moved from the small sliver of her face he could see from this angle to the dark blue knitted wrap around her shoulders. It was thick, he could tell, and she was also sporting a pair of turquoise jogging bottoms drawn to her calves. On her tiny feet were a pair of navy ballet slippers and since it wasn't exactly cold outside, he couldn't figure out why Scarlett was shivering so fiercely._

 _Another tremor rippling through Scarlett's body rocked her into Edward's knees. He shoved away the questions bubbling on the tip of his tongue, reaching for her on instinct like he used to when she was little and would fall over. So torn apart by the lingering nightmare in her head, Scarlett didn't fight him at all as he turned, tucking her securely beneath his chin in his lap. She wound up pressed against his solid chest, covered only by a thin, light blue ribbed vest and an unzipped gray marl hoodie. Her legs rested over his lap, head over his heart. It thumped evenly beneath her ear. Soothing in its steady beat, she relaxed some of her tightly coiled muscles and tried to suck the warmth from his body into hers._

They'd sat in this exact spot.

It was back when they'd only just returned from Montana, and when she was still 'Scarlett.'

It was the day she and Rosalie had been called upon to make their statements; before Garrett resurfaced and Bodhi arrived.

 _So much has changed…_ Bella marveled silently, rocking her baby boy and inhaling the apples and watermelon scent of his shampoo.

It was before Bella realized how much Edward would mean to her.

They'd come so, _so_ far in the time since.

"Mamma? My hands n-need 'mooches."

Bella pulled back to smile at her son, leaning in to plant loud kisses on his slightly red outstretched palms. "There; all better."

Bodhi smiled tremulously. " _Gwazie_ , Mamma."

For the first time, Bella noticed how utterly adorable he looked. She'd been busy all morning, and Bodhi had slept in, so she'd been at the grocery store when he finally got up, meaning Edward dressed him. She'd only been home twenty minutes or so and Bodhi had been next-door with Peter until now, so this was the first time she'd seen the outfit Edward had chosen.

He was wearing khaki cargo shorts identical to the pair Edward had pulled on when Marley dragged him out of bed at seven. On his feet were his baby _Timberlands_ , a navy and white striped beanie covered his head, and a navy gilet over a grey t-shirt. Without unzipping it, she knew it was his favourite t-shirt emblazoned with the very true words, 'chicks dig my curls.'

Archie had bought it as a joke, but it was true; everywhere Bodhi went he received comments on his gorgeous mop of honey-blond curls.

At almost two-and-a-half, and dressed like a little adult, you could easily mistake him for Edward's own son. Especially, with the silly smile spreading across his face.

Much to Bella's amusement and adoration, her baby boy had a dimple.

Before Bella could comment on the fact that Bodhi would freeze outside in shorts, Marley appeared in the doorway with Edward right behind her.

"Mamma, Daddy said me and Beesy should help you so we can go out quicker," she mumbled, her sad, tear-stained face breaking Bella's heart.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, Bella made the snap decision to abandon the rest of the housework. The happiness of her babies was more important than the breakfast bowls beside the sink or the vacuum waiting silently in the living room. The familiar rumble of her dad's car arriving outside sealed the deal; they were going to head out earlier than planned.

"Change of plans!" Bella cried, clapping her hands together with a smile. Edward appeared amused, while Bodhi and Marley simply cocked their heads and frowned in confusion. "Get your coat, baby girl. Bodhi, if you don't want to freeze your butt off, you'd better get some trousers on."

Once Bodhi and Marley had darted up the stairs, yelling out 'hellos' to Pawpaw Charlie on the way, Edward pulled Bella up to her feet and drew her in for a tight hug.

"Is she feeling better?"

"A little. She loved that little dog. I'm just praying we're doing the right thing today," Edward sighed, squeezing her tighter for a second before pulling back. He ran a fingertip over the apple of her cheek, brushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear. His vibrant emerald eyes were intense and set her on fire from the inside-out. She couldn't help but wish, just for a moment, that Marley hadn't woken up so early that morning. Edward had promised to make love to her as they'd tumbled into bed bleary-eyed and half-asleep the previous night after an evening of wrapping Christmas presents, both too tired for anything more than cuddling. But their daughter's presence put a damper on any naked plans for the morning.

With a quiet hum, Bella leaned into Edward, absently wondering if the passion she felt for him would ever wane. Their physical relationship had evolved quicker than either of them had anticipated, but once they'd exchanged 'I love you's' and had begun routinely sharing a bed, their hands began to roam, and as Bella's confidence grew, so did the fire between them. She'd never expected to enjoy the physical aspects of a romantic relationship after her past experiences, but it was different with Edward.

It was more; it was _right_.

"Hey, kids."

Charlie's entrance set Bella's cheeks on fire as she tried to shove thoughts of naked time with Edward from her mind.

"H-hi, Dad."

Edward grinned impishly at Bella as Charlie passed them, heading for the coffee machine in the corner.

"Are we still good for today? The big plan?"

"Yeah, Chuck. The kids are on their way to get their stuff…ah, on their way _back_ , I mean," Edward chuckled, all three adults listening to the footsteps thundering down the stairs. Marley and Bodhi careened into the kitchen seconds later.

"Daddy, h-help me pw-pwease!" Bodhi requested, his left arm through the right sleeve of his coat.

With an indulgent smile, Edward dropped into a crouch and helped his son right his jacket while Bella adjusted Marley's blue daisy-print headband.

"Pawpaw, we're getting a surprise today," Marley told Charlie gleefully.

Charlie turned to face her, his moustache dancing above his smile as he twisted the lid of his freshly-filled flask into place. "I know. You mind if your ole Pawpaw comes with you?"

"Sure! I guess that's okay, right Mamma?"

Bella nodded. "Right. And Uncle Arch, Carl-Roman, and Chase are coming, too. They're going to meet us there."

Marley nodded, shucked her feet into a pair of tan, suede fringed boots, and impatiently dragged Bodhi through to the hallway to help him put his shoes back on. He'd dropped them in his hurry down the stairs after changing into a pair of cargo trousers.

Bella, Charlie, and Edward laughed as they watched them.

"Why don't they hurry like this on school mornings?" Bella wondered.

Edward snorted. "Because that would make life far too easy, _mi amore_."

Ten minutes later, they were all ready.

Well, Bella _thought_ she was ready.

When Edward had broached the topic of what to get the kids for Christmas back in early October, she'd been suspicious; and rightly so. It had taken two weeks and a visit out to a family living just over a half hour away for her to agree with his grand plan. For the past six weeks, she'd hemmed and hawed over their decision though, and was vacillating between being bone-shakingly nervous and crazily excited as she and Edward loaded their babies into the car and set off.

Charlie had volunteered to sit in the backseat between Bodhi and Marley, but he soon regretted it; he hadn't anticipated just how relentless they could be when they were this eager for something. Bodhi cried that he'd forgotten Mr. Bear, and Marley whined that Bella hadn't thought to bring the _iPad_ for her to watch people opening chocolate eggs to marvel over the toys inside, as was her new obsession. Charlie fidgeted, uncomfortably wedged between the two, bulky car-seats.

This was all within the first five minutes.

Marley kicked the back of her dad's seat and asked the question all parents dread on prolonged journeys. "Daddy, are we there yet?"

 **~ oOo ~**

Shortly before they were due to arrive at their destination, Bella received a text from her brother.

"Oh," she murmured sadly.

Edward glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to the road. "What's wrong?"

"Archie isn't coming. They were on the road, and Chase started throwing up everywhere."

Edward hissed sympathetically. "Is he okay? Should we go back and help?"

Quickly dialing Archie's number, Bella whispered that she'd ask. He answered after a few rings. "Hey, Archie. Are you okay? Do you want us to come back?"

" _Thanks, but don't worry. We're already almost home again,_ " Archie sighed. " _He told me he felt funny this morning, but I just figured he was hungry so we stopped for_ McDonald's _pancakes. As soon as the smell of the food hit him, he started throwing up everywhere._ "

Bella couldn't help but smile as she listened to Carl-Roman calling to her to say that he was okay, and _'the puke didn't hit me, though, Aunt B!_ ' "Tell Carl-Roman I'm glad he didn't get hit, and please give Chase our love. We'll see you later if he's feeling better, okay?"

" _Sure. See you later, Sis. Send me photos! I wanna see Mars' and Beesy's faces._ "

"Will do. See you later, Arch. Love you."

" _Love you, too._ "

"S'Chase sick, Mamma?" Bodhi asked sadly.

Bella twisted in her seat to reassure him with a small smile. "Chase is okay, baby boy. He's a little sick, but Uncle Arch is going to make him feel better. You can see him tomorrow, if he isn't well enough today, all right?"

Bodhi nodded and shoved his thumb in his mouth, peering out of the window at the scenery sweeping past.

It wasn't very long before they reached the signposted turn-off they'd been instructed to look for. Bella's stomach began to churn in anxious anticipation as she listened to Marley asking Charlie if this was their surprise; visiting a farm. In the months since she'd started school and Bella had become a regular at Breaking Dawn, the second chance rescue centre where Esme volunteered, both Bodhi and Marley had grown to love the place. With that in mind, it didn't surprise Bella to hear their excitement at thinking their grand surprise was a trip visit some farm animals.

"Pawpaw, l-look! A c-cow!" Bodhi cried, pointing to the cluster of Jersey cows huddled together in the field.

"Yeah, Bees; that's a herd of cows," Charlie chuckled.

As the car rolled to a stop outside the farmhouse, Bella inhaled several deep breaths and looked up at the beautiful building while she tried to calm her racing heart. It was stupid to be this nervous, she told herself, but it didn't help.

The red brick house had pretty green shutters on the windows and a pale yellow front door painted with large daisies; it made Bella smile.

"Can I get out? Daddy, I wanna get out!"

"All right, little sweet. Hold your horses." Edward turned to Bella, squeezing her knee gently and meeting her gaze. "Are you okay, _mi amore_?"

"We're crazy, aren't we? Doing this two days before Christmas."

Edward barked a laugh, nodding and shrugging. "Probably, yeah. But you know what? I think it'll be fun. And _so_ worth it when the kids realise."

"Realise what, Daddy?"

Edward grinned, turning to smile at his son's and daughter's curious faces. "You'll see. Come on then! Let's get out."

Bodhi and Marley clambered eagerly from the car once Charlie had released their seat buckles and their parents had opened the doors. Charlie unfolded himself, chugging the remainder of his coffee from his flask before tucking it back in the car and slamming the door shut; moments later, the daisy-print door swung open.

Mrs. Bethany wasn't what Bella had expected, at all. When she'd pictured a farmer's wife, she'd imagined a short, slightly plump older woman with a perm and a forever-smile.

Instead, the young woman in the doorway was dressed in a scarlet jumpsuit, her lips painted a striking, matching shade of red, her eyelids adorned with royal blue eyeshadow, and her silvery blonde hair curled back around her head in a braided bun. She _was_ smiling, though, so Bella got one thing right, at least.

"Hello! You must be Bella," she called loudly as Bella led the way toward the house, Bodhi quietly demanding, 'Up, Mamma' while Marley trailed behind holding Edward's hand, Charlie bringing up the rear with a small, moustache-topped smile.

"That's me. You must be Mrs. Bethany, then?"

The woman laughed a high-pitched, delighted sound. "Mrs. Bethany is my mother-in-law! Please, call me Kate."

"Okay."

Kate's eyes moved to Bodhi then, her smile impossibly wide. "Oh, and aren't you just the cutest? What's your name, handsome?"

Bodhi's ears tinted pink as he mumbled, "Bodhi."

"Well, what a gorgeous name! And what about you, Princess? What's your name?"

Marley beamed as she stepped away from Edward to greet Kate. "I'm Marley Rosalie Swan. This is my Pawpaw Charlie and my Daddy. I gotta call him 'Daddy,' but most people just call him 'Edward,' right Daddy?"

Edward grinned and shook Kate's outstretched hand. "Edward Cullen; lovely to meet you, at last. When we came out here last, your husband only had nice things to say."

Kate's answering peal of laughter brought automatic smiles to everyone's faces. Her delight was infectious. "Oh, I'm sure he told you to say that! Jon has very few nice things to say about me." She shook Charlie's hand next, making him blush when she complimented him on his impressive moustache, then led the troop into the house. She fell into step beside Bella, leaning in so Bodhi and Marley wouldn't hear her question. "Is it still a surprise?"

"It is. They have no idea why we're here," she affirmed with a rueful little smile.

Kate giggled. "Perfect! Well, I took the liberty of adding a little finishing touch to your _gift_. I hope you won't mind."

It only took a minute more for Bella to realise what Kate meant, and she most definitely didn't mind. The sight that greeted her upon her entry into the kitchen eradicated any and all doubts about her decision to let Edward have his way.

"Oh…my…God…"

"All right, no more _Friends_ for you, Mars. You sound far too like Janice for my liking," Charlie rolled his eyes and ruffled Marley's hair; not that she noticed. Her gaze was trained on the kitchen floor.

Well, not the _floor…_ but the litter of spotty puppies tumbling around on it.

There were eleven in all; six boys and five girls, all white with an even spread of black spots.

"Mamma…" Marley breathed, her eyes darting between the puppies. Bodhi cried out, grinning as he wriggled to the floor and followed his sister to the edge of the playpen splitting the tiled kitchen in half. The puppies noticed them then and all charged over, jumping at the barrier with excited yips, waggly tails, and wet noses.

Marley turned to her parents with wide, hopeful eyes as Bodhi giggled, the puppies tickling his hand through the bars as he reached through to pet them. "Are we just visiting?"

Edward and Bella moved to crouch beside her and Bodhi, pulling his attention from the puppies for a moment. "We're not just visiting, little sweet. We're picking up our new puppy today. She'll be coming home with us."

Much later, Bella and Edward would thank Charlie for his foresight in videoing the reactions of the children. They jumped around, squealing and pressing kisses over Bella and Edward's faces.

Once they'd calmed down a little, Kate beamed as she stepped through the gate and called Bodhi and Marley to join her; they were instantly surrounded by Dalmatian puppies, and the kitchen was filled with the sounds of their joy.

"Which one is ours, Daddy?" Marley asked as a puppy wearing an orange collar licked her nose.

Edward looked to Kate for help.

She laughed, scanning the puppies before scooping one up and handing the wriggling bundle of fur to Marley. "This is your little lady. She's the prettiest of the bunch, and she's even got a special bow."

Bella smiled; the pink bow around her neck was evidently the 'finishing touch' Kate had added.

"Aw, she's so cute! Oh! Mamma, Daddy, she's _licking_ me!" Marley giggled as the puppy smothered her face in kisses, her little body moving around so much that Marley wound up sitting down because she was afraid to drop her. Bodhi plonked himself beside Marley, giggling when their girl stretched over to nibble his nose.

The sight was utterly adorable, and Bella was incredibly glad she'd let Edward talk her into this and that her dad had been all for it, too; it was his house, after all. The smiles her babies were wearing were worth the inevitable chaos the puppy was about to rain over their domain. She'd been researching all things puppy related; training, toys, toilet training, what foods were and weren't allowed…

It would be like having a newborn baby all over again.

"Did you guys decide on a name, or are you letting the kids choose one?" Kate asked cheerily, relaxing back against the counter to watch the puppies tumbling over each other to get to Marley and Bodhi.

Edward and Bella shared a loaded glance. "We kind of like 'Faith,' if that's okay with Marley and Bodhi."

Marley looked between her parents' faces, then down at the puppy whose amber eyes were bright and trained intently on the face of her new little mistress. Marley beamed back at her mamma and daddy. "I think 'Faith' is perfect. Good choice, Mamma, and Daddy."

 **~ oOo ~**

"Okay, so this is your paperwork. These are all her details from the veterinarian visits…her first vaccination, hearing test, microchip, all that jazz. Her birth weight and three-week check-up details are in there, too. This is her Kennel Club registration and details."

"Does she have some fancy schmancy name?" Charlie asked with a grin.

Kate smirked. "My husband decided them all. Your little Faith here is Chahill's Princess Posey."

Marley giggled into her hands, leaning over to kiss Faith's spotty head. She'd fallen asleep in Marley's lap while Kate, Edward, Charlie, and Bella talked. Bodhi had also made a friend.

"W-what's this o-one's n-n-name?" Bodhi asked quietly, tickling the soft black ear of the puppy asleep in the nest of his crossed legs.

Kate's expression softened as her eyes landed on Bodhi and the puppy in his lap. "We call him Tiny. He's the smallest of the litter." Kate met Edward's eyes, "He's deaf. The owners who'd put the deposit on him changed their minds after his hearing test. Poor little boy is the only one without perfect hearing, and we haven't found a home for him yet."

Marley and Bodhi cried out, their expressions sad as they immediately turned to gaze up at their parents.

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh, no! No way, you two. We're getting _one_ puppy. _One._ "

"But, Mamma—" Marley began, arranging her features into the expression she often used to get her way with her daddy. Bella quickly reached up to cover Edward's eyes; they were already softening. She could see him caving already.

 **~ oOo ~**

Despite their disappointment, and with the assurance from Kate that little Tiny would remain with her until he found his forever home, Bella eventually made her way out to the car with just one spotted puppy. Faith wriggled in her arms, looking around at the snow-speckled landscape with bright, curious eyes. Bella bundled her inside her zip-up hoodie to protect her from the freezing December air, hurrying back to the car.

"Mamma, _I_ want to hold Faith!" Marley complained.

"No, Mamma! I-I wanna h-h-hold h-her!"

Charlie sighed, shaking his head as he lifted Bodhi and buckled him into his seat. "Look, kids; it's better if your mamma holds her. There's more room in the front, and if she pees you don't want it to be on you, right?"

Bodhi and Marley exchanged disgusted glances before vehemently shaking their heads.

Charlie chucked and climbed into his spot between his grandchildren, offering his daughter a wink when she shot him a grateful grin in the rear-view mirror.

Thankfully, Faith didn't use her new mother's lap as a toilet during the drive home. She was remarkably well-behaved and settled comfortably on Bella's thighs, content to peer out of the window and stretch up to lick Bella's chin every now and then with a happy wag of her tail. Halfway home, Bella managed to take a picture of Faith as she curled against her chest cradled in one of her arms, her pink tongue poking out just enough for it to be visible in the resulting photo.

Bella quickly sent it to everyone waiting for news of the new arrival; Archie and the boys, Rosalie and Emmett, Peter, Esme and Carlisle, the twins, and Alice and Jasper. Apparently, Clarke and Dave were itching to come over to meet the new puppy, so Bella expected the Whitlock clan over later. Which worked well, seeing as Bella and Alice hadn't seen each other for a couple of weeks and had plenty to catch up on.

Rosalie – **Oh my gosh! She's so cute!**

Rosalie's text was followed by a series of seven, heart-eyed emojis and a reminder that they wanted to come over as soon as Faith was settled. Bella responded with her promise that she'd let them know just as they rolled to a stop outside the house and piled out onto the driveway.

"It's okay, pretty girl," Bella cooed when Faith poked her head out from her jumper, once again tucked inside but just for the quick walk up the driveway into the house. She peered up at Bella with sleepy eyes. "We're _home_ , Faith. This is your new home."

The puppy simply stretched up, licked Bella's chin, and ducked back inside her warm cocoon where she promptly fell back to sleep, much to the consternation of Marley and Bodhi.

 **~ oOo ~**

"She's just precious, Bella," Rosalie sighed, her lips spread in a wide smile as she watched Marley, Bodhi, and Faith tumbling around the living room.

Faith had slept for almost an hour after arriving at her new home, and Bella had followed the puppy-rearing book Charlie had given her, settling Faith in her new bed in the kitchen so she'd learn where she should sleep. She was content enough to remain there for fifty minutes, somehow managing to sleep through the children's thinly disguised attempts at waking her.

Eventually, Marley and Bodhi wound up sitting side-by-side on the naughty step wearing sulky pouts, their mother fed up with their purposeful crashing and banging around in the hallway.

When Faith did awaken she padded her way into the living room by herself, greeting her little master and mistress with plentiful kisses and tail wags. The children had been playing with her ever since and had been delighted when Edward pulled a basket of brand new puppy toys from the under-stairs cupboard. So far, Faith's favourite was a small, stuffed football and the trio had been playing piggy in the middle with it for almost a half hour by the time Bella noticed Faith's tongue lolling and her faltering footsteps.

She inhaled a deep breath, already knowing the kids were going to throw a tantrum when she informed them that their little friend would soon need another nap.

But first…

"All right, Faith probably needs to go potty now, guys."

"I'll come, Mamma!" Marley declared, scowling when Bella shook her head.

"No, baby girl; you two stay here, so she doesn't get distracted."

Bella scooped Faith from the rug in the centre of the room, kissing her head and carrying her to the hall. She'd always thought it was silly to buy clothes for dogs, but she'd seen how cold Faith had gotten earlier just on the short walk in from the car, so she was abruptly glad she'd ignored her instincts and bought a small yellow jumper for Faith.

 _Just in case_ , she'd told herself. Faith looked appreciative of the forethought when she padded around the chilly garden, glancing over at Bella every few seconds. It took almost ten minutes, and the threat of the naughty step for Bodhi and Marley when they refused to stop teasing Faith through the patio doors, but Faith _finally_ squatted and did a quick wee on the grass.

As Bella rushed over to praise her and hand her a tiny cube of cheese as a reward for doing her business, she inwardly sighed at herself and wondered just how ridiculous she looked to her family on the other side of the glass doors.

 **~ oOo ~**

Nine days later, Bella was utterly in love with her third baby and couldn't believe she hadn't given in sooner on the puppy debate.

It was Christmas morning, and Charlie's house was complete mayhem.

Archie and his boys had come over bright and early, Esme and Carlisle close behind them. Peter and the twins arrived only ten minutes later with Emmett and Rosalie hot on their heels.

Just like last year, they all wore matching jumpers; green and white striped with reindeer emblazoned across the front.

Edward and Bella had been woken by two over-excited children just before seven a.m.

"Mamma, Daddy! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Marley yelled, bouncing up onto the bed before tugging Bodhi up by his arms to join her.

Bella quickly pulled both children to her side of the bed, trying to stifle her laughter when Edward let out a soft whine and rolled onto his side. "Marley, sweetie, I think you stomped on Daddy's misters."

Marley's smile fell, but she giggled an apology behind her hands. "Sorry, Daddy."

"S'ok, little sweet," Edward croaked. After clearing his throat and relaxing a little into the mattress, he exhaled a deep breath and gently guided Marley down to sit beside him. "Merry Christmas, little sweet."

"Merry Christmas, Daddy."

"Mewwy Chwistmas, D-Daddy!" Bodhi crowed, crawling over to sit on Edward's stomach.

Bella couldn't resist swiping her phone from the nightstand to take photos of her little family. Bodhi had shed the long-sleeved, candy-cane pattern t-shirt she'd put on him before bed last night, but he was still wearing the matching trousers; Marley had the same pyjamas, but unlike her brother, she was still wearing them. They both wore fluffy white slipper boots and had majorly messy bedhead. Edward did, too.

As she took a series of photos of the trio, Bella couldn't help but realise how alike they seemed. Bodhi's sunny blond mane and Marley's long, chocolate locks were curly, whereas Edward's was pretty much just a bronze mess, but you'd be forgiven for thinking they were related when you looked at them wearing matching bright, beaming smiles and snuggling up under the covers. Bella felt her heart fill to the bursting point. It was an adorable sight.

"Mamma, y-you snuggle t-too?"

Bella smiled, setting down her phone and wriggling over to join her family. She leaned down to kiss Bodhi's curls and mentally praise Esme for suggesting she and Edward invest in a bigger bed, now that the kids were in their own room. They often had the kids in with them on Saturday and Sunday mornings to watch cartoons, but they'd never have all fit in Bella's old twin bed. The king Esme had talked Bella into was far better.

"Mewwy Chwistmas, Mamma," Bodhi said quietly, offering her a toothy, dimpled smile.

"Merry Christmas, baby boy."

"Oh! I forgot!"

Before Bella or Edward could ask what she'd forgotten, Marley was bouncing out of bed and running from the room. They shared a curious glance, then listened to her thumping footsteps as she came back up the stairs a few moments later.

As soon as she appeared in the doorway, Bella sighed. "Sweetheart, they can't—"

"Please, Mamma? It _is_ Christmas…"

Edward chuckled, "yeah, Mamma. It _is_ Christmas."

Shooting him a look that said 'traitor,' Bella realised it was fruitless to argue with her daughter _and_ Edward – and likely Bodhi, too – and huffed. "All right. But just this once! They're not meant to be up here."

With a wide, triumphant grin, Marley set down the big, squirming bundle in her arms.

This wasn't the first puppy-related argument Bella had given up on.

She'd said 'no' to getting a puppy in the first place, and wound up bringing Faith home six weeks later.

She'd said 'no' to Faith being allowed on the furniture or having extra treats besides her food and training treats; so far this past week she'd caught Edward _and_ Charlie sneaking her tidbits when they thought she wasn't looking. That wasn't including the bits and pieces the kids snuck her from the table.

She'd said 'no' to taking Tiny off Kate's hands.

And yet, as Faith ran up to the foot of the bed, stretching on her short legs to peer through the poles of the footboard, she was quickly joined by her spotty, deaf, pink-nosed brother.

Yes, she'd caved, and it was no-one's fault but her own.

She'd sent Kate some photos of Faith with the kids on day four and had wound up speaking to her on the phone later that day to clear up an issue with Faith's microchip information. Kate had offhandedly mentioned that Tiny was still there, and Bella hadn't been able to push the sweet puppy's face from her mind all evening. Of course, Edward had noticed her preoccupation, and had been surprisingly reserved in his opinions of whether or not they should take on the added responsibility of another puppy so quickly after getting their first; especially a deaf puppy.

Two days of intensive research and with guidance from experienced Dalmatian owners on the page Edward frequented on _Facebook_ , their minds were made up. They left Marley and Bodhi with Emmett and Rosalie, put Faith's travel harness on and buckled her into the backseat as they set off on the forty-minute trip to Kate's.

"Here, let me help," Edward chuckled, crawling to the end of the bed to scoop up the puppies.

Bella smiled and shook her head, remembering Kate's face as she'd pulled the door open upon their arrival.

" _Well, well. You know, I wasn't surprised at all to get your phone call. He's a lovable boy."_

 _Bella sighed and smiled, shaking her head. "I just couldn't stop picturing his sad little face when we left last time."_

 _Kate took Faith from Edward's arms, peppering kisses over her head. "Hello, sweet girl. You've grown so much already!"_

" _That's because she eats like a horse!" Edward exclaimed. "We follow that guide you gave us, but man! She'd constantly eat if we let her."_

 _A laugh bubbled out of Kate as she gestured for them to follow her inside. Once the front door was closed, she set Faith on the floor and let out a soft whistle, followed by a quiet, "Lulu!" A few moments later, a slim, pretty dog trotted into the hall with a slow tail wag. Faith immediately darted toward her, bouncing around her legs and trying to lick her face._

 _Edward grinned, sliding his fingers through Bella's as they followed Kate, Lulu, and Faith into the kitchen. "It looks like Faith has missed her mamma. I bet Lulu's missing her babies, huh?"_

 _Kate hummed, offering them a tea or coffee. As she started making their cappuccinos, she murmured, "I think she does, but she's definitely enjoying the freedom of just having one pup left. She's had a very busy eight weeks with all of them, and now she just has one to deal with."_

 _Bella was listening to Kate, but her eyes travelled to the bed across the room where Tiny was sleeping. He obviously couldn't hear that they'd entered, so he was snoozing happily with his legs out-stretched; he wasn't having to share a bed anymore, which struck Bella as sad._ It must be lonely to be one of eleven and suddenly find yourself alone _, she thought._

" _Hey, Faith, go wake your brother," Kate said as she opened the gate separating the two halves of the kitchen. Faith sniffed cautiously before stepping through, then bounded right over to her sleeping brother._

 _He didn't stay asleep for long._

 _Faith pounced right on him, and soon they were tumbling around, their excited yaps and happy tails bringing tears to Bella's eyes. Lulu waded in but kept her distance, content just to watch her babies play._

" _Are you okay?" Edward asked gently, squeezing her to him._

" _I'm fine," she promised. "I think we made the right decision."_

 _Kate beamed as she handed over Tiny's paperwork and bagged up the last of the puppy toys, informing Bella and Edward that she wouldn't need them now that all the pups had gone to their homes. Lulu gave each of her babies a thorough wash while Edward and Bella ran outside to pack the car with all the paraphernalia; Tiny's favourite cushion, the puppy toys, some leftover packs of mince which Lulu didn't like, but the puppies did._

 _Having never had a dog before, Bella found it odd to be feeding her almost, ten-week-old puppy raw mince and chicken wings, but it made sense once she thought about and researched it. The benefits far outweighed the surrealism of watching a tiny puppy crunch up raw bones as though they were biscuits._

 _Bella had picked out a travel harness for Tiny to match Faith's, except his was black and hers was pink, so she slipped it over his head and adjusted it to fit comfortably before scooping him into her arms as Edward did the same with Faith. Kate sighed as they stood by the front door, Lulu sitting contentedly at her the feet of her mistress, her puppies in the arms of their new parents._

" _I'll miss this little guy," she cooed as she reached out to fondle his soft, spotty ear. He peered at her through his mismatched eyes – one blue, one chocolate brown – and let out a squeaky yawn as he turned to snuggle his head under Bella's chin, where he promptly fell asleep._

 _Kate and Edward's laughter didn't disturb him, because he couldn't hear it, so he slept peacefully through Bella's promise to take care of him and his sister and his journey from the house out to the car. Edward opened the back door, but hesitated and turned to face Bella when she asked him to wait._

 _She frowned for a moment. "Don't worry about putting her in the back. I'll have them both on my lap, I think."_

 _Edward raised his eyebrows, smirking. "You sure? Brave move considering we don't know how the boy's gonna deal with being in the car."_

 _Bella snuggled Tiny tighter, his head still nestled under her chin, and opened the door to the front-passenger seat. "I'm sure. I've got towels and puppy pads for accidents."_

" _All right,_ mi amore _," Edward chuckled. He waited for Bella to get comfortable and buckle herself in, then handed Faith to her. Tiny woke briefly to curl into his sister, and by the time Edward had rounded the car, offered Kate a parting wave, and climbed into his seat, both puppies were fast asleep curled up in Bella's lap. She turned to him with a smug smile; he laughed, shaking his head and starting the engine._

 _Only time would tell whether or not both Faith and Tiny would remain that placid until they made it home._

 **~ oOo ~**

"Awww, look, Mamma!" Marley cooed, pulling Bella from her thoughts.

She followed Marley's adoring gaze to Edward, Bodhi, and the puppies. Faith was curled up on Edward's lap – he'd shuffled back to sit against the headboard – and her brother was spread along Bodhi's side with his spotted head resting on his little master's shoulder.

"Mamma, Sammy's snugglin' me!"

Tiny had become 'Sammy' shortly after joining the family. To be truthful, he wasn't very small anymore, so 'Tiny' didn't really fit. Despite being the runt of the litter at birth, he was now bigger than his sister by a fair bit, and Bella thought it fitting that he received a new name as he joined his new family.

After a vote, they decided on 'Sammy.'

"He is, _tesoro_. That's 'cause you're his best buddy."

Bodhi grinned widely. "I am?"

"You sure are," Edward promised, tapping the end of his son's nose.

The kids had been beyond happy when Emmett and Rosalie had brought them home to find Sammy there; Bodhi especially. It was strange, but Faith and Marley had bonded just as hard as Sammy and Bodhi. The quartet spent the majority of their time together, but they also paired off equally as often.

As she quickly snapped a few photos of Edward, the kids, and the puppies all bundled together, Bella couldn't stifle her happy sigh.

The puppies were just as much hard work as the children, but they were also every bit as rewarding. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing her babies sitting on the couch with their spotty puppies sandwiched between them. Marley and Bodhi had never smiled as much as they did when they were around Faith and Sammy. They were noisy, messy, and time-consuming…but they were absolutely a wonderful addition to the family.

 **~ oOo ~**

With a coffee in one hand and his video camera in the other, Charlie sighed and watched the bedlam unfolding in his living room.

The kids were all there – Carl-Roman, Chase, Marley, Bodhi, and Alice and Jasper's Dave and Clarke – so there were presents and torn wrapping paper strewn all over the place. Their parents were spread around the room with smiles on their faces and camera phones in hand ready to capture the excitement on the faces of their children. Faith and Sammy ran amok amongst the kids and toys, their excited yapping and sloppy kisses adding another layer of chaos to the wild morning.

Peter was on the floor with Dave, helping him unwrap a particularly trickily wrapped package. Charlie grinned and shook his head as he glanced over at Rosalie and Emmett cocooned in a blanket on the window seat. Idly, he wondered how long they'd make Peter wait for a grandchild of his own. He knew Peter was desperate for grandbabies, although he'd told Charlie he was content to dote on the other kids until they were ready.

Even Charlie wouldn't have been upset if Bella and Edward chose to bless him with more grandchildren, despite already having four.

His eyes moved to Marley and Carl-Roman. They were kneeling together to open their presents, bright smiles on their faces as Sammy bounded over to 'help.' He adjusted his camera angle to catch them giggling at Sammy as he attempted to tear paper from one of Carl-Roman's gifts and ended up somersaulting when he tugged too hard on the flimsy wrapping paper.

This…this was what he'd wished for.

When Bella and Rosalie were missing, and his family was broken, all Charlie had wanted was to have the girls back. He wanted them to be happy, safe, and healthy. He wanted them _whole_.

He saw Archie settling down and starting a family and had been broken-hearted to think his daughter and Rosalie wouldn't get to do the same. He'd held his grandsons minutes after their births and wondered if he'd ever get to hold Bella's children, or even get to hold _her_ again.

When he'd discovered that he had a granddaughter, a little girl born into a life of horror worse than Charlie had ever comprehended, Charlie had been sick with grief and loss. He'd missed those precious first years; he'd missed seeing his baby become a mother.

But now…

Now he got to see her healthy, happy, and loved. He got to watch her dote on her babies and he got to love on them himself. They lived under his roof and ran to greet him at the end of every day. They woke him up on Sunday mornings with their thumping footsteps on the hallway landing and ransacked his sweet jar on a regular basis.

But he loved it. Charlie loved each and every second of having his grandbabies close. He treasured his daughter's smiles after such a long period of having to live without them. He delighted in seeing his childhood best friend so happy to have his own daughter back. Every day, Charlie got to have breakfast with Bella before kissing his grandbabies 'goodbye' and heading to work with his best friend and future son-in-law – because there was no way Edward would fail to put a ring on Bella's finger at some point – and Emmett. He was fairly certain Archie was going to join Swan-Hale Construction in the near future, too. His job as a security guard in Eastbourne was increasingly demanding of his time, and he'd voiced an interest in joining the family business; Charlie would leap at the chance to have his son come aboard.

"Oh, Pawpaw!"

Charlie barked a laugh at Marley and Carl-Roman's faces. They were slack-jawed and wide-eyed, the tickets he'd purchased clutched tight in their small hands. "So, you wanna go?"

The children waded through heaps of torn paper and quickly forgotten packs of socks. Charlie sank into a crouch and passed his video camera and coffee to Jasper so he could hold Marley and Carl-Roman.

"We can go? Really, Pawpaw?"

Charlie felt his eyes prickling with tears as well as the eyes of the other adults in the room. Only Peter knew what the tickets in Marley and Carl-Roman's hands were for. "Sure, we can. I mean, every kid's gotta go to _Disneyworld_ , right?"

Bella gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Emmett whooped, then whined when it earned him a gentle tap on the nose from Rosalie. Bodhi and Chase scampered across the room to join their siblings and pawpaw. "Dad…" Bella breathed.

His eyes darted to her; a touch sheepish, but tear-filled nonetheless. "Uh, yeah. I wanted to mention it first, but I got a bit carried away, and I thought you might say 'no,' so I didn't."

She laughed a watery giggle. "You can't…I mean, Dad—" she trailed off with a sigh. "Paris?"

Charlie plastered a big, pleading grin on his face and held his grandbabies close. _She's gonna kill me._ "Florida."

"Dad!"

 **~ oOo ~**

By the time the adults got over the shock of Charlie's surprise announcement that he and Peter were taking everyone to Florida for Easter, thanks to their business doing incredibly well this past year, the kids were ready to continue opening their other gifts.

While the kids got back to business tearing paper from presents, Bella pulled her dad aside.

"What the heck, Dad?" she hissed, tugging him out into the hallway.

He grinned, tucking a loose lock of her hair behind her ear. "If you missed something one of the kids did for the first time, would you be upset?"

Bella frowned, confused by his seemingly random train of thought. "I…uh, yeah, I would. Why?"

"I don't want to miss their first ride on the teacups, or the first time they see Mickey Mouse. I don't want to miss them seeing the magic of _Disneyworld_ for the first time, Bells. I want to be there. I want to see it all. We've had some huge projects this past year and we've made a lot of sound investments too, Pete and I." Charlie reached up to straighten his hair, his eyes soft as he gazed down at his daughter's shocked face. "Bells, let us do this. Let us spoil you all. If not for you, then for the babies. I never took Carl-Roman and Chase before we got you back because I didn't want to. I wanted to wait until we could _all_ see it. Now, we can. Let me do this, please."

Bella's eyes swung into the living room. Charlie turned to follow her gaze, both of them laughing quietly when Bodhi found his Mickey Mouse ears and put them on his head – backward.

"Okay, Dad. Okay. But it's too much. _Way_ too much."

Charlie chuckled, tugging her into his side for a cuddle. They remained in the doorway for a little while, watching the messy mayhem unfold until all the presents were opened and it was time for Charlie to baste the turkey again. He left Bella with a kiss to the temple and a murmured, "Love you, Bells."

 **~ oOo ~**

"All right, all right! Quit fighting over the crackers, you two."

Marley and Carl-Roman quit their squabbling, looking abashed as they mumbled apologies to their mimi. Esme sighed with an indulgent smile. "Here; one of you take my silver cracker."

Marley beamed and accepted it with a grateful grin. "Thanks, Mimi! Look, Carl-Roman, we match!"

It had been some feat, getting everyone around the same table for Christmas dinner, but they'd just about managed it. The kids were wedged into the far corner, where there was less room but enough for them to squeeze in, and there were more people to each side of the table than was comfortable, but it was perfect.

Rosalie had gotten her family picture, just like last year. 2016's canvassed image hung on the wall behind the table where they sat, everyone unable to resist commenting on how much everything had changed in twelve months.

They'd travelled to Italy, and spent a month learning what it was to live and love without fear or worry.

Edward had declared his love for Bella, and in turn, set off the chain of events to make her realise she felt the same way about him.

Contessa had lost her husband; Edward, his nonno. She'd kept her home in Rome but moved into the bungalow they normally let out to holidaymakers in East Dean, just a short car ride away from Eastbourne, where her beloved and doting grandson lived. She was spending Christmas in Italy though, with her sister, but would be returning in time for the New Year.

Emmett and Rosalie had gotten engaged then married all within the space of six months.

Edward became Marley and Bodhi's 'daddy' at long last.

And Bella…

Bella had finally plucked up enough courage to admit just how madly, crazily, utterly in love with Edward she'd been for longer than even she realized.

They'd fallen head over heels for one another and settled into being the epitome of the normal family life Bella had once said she never wanted.

Edward and Bella had welcomed two new babies into the family. Faith and Sammy were the perfect additions to the wonderful, mish-mashed chaos they knew and loved.

As Bella looked around the table at her friends, her family, she realized that it wasn't just her who'd had epiphanies this past year.

The twins had both gotten into serious relationships and would be heading off to university next summer; Heidi to study horse care, while Pippa went into childcare.

Rosalie and Emmett were hesitantly talking about trying to find a place of their own, now that they were married and felt ready to take that next step together.

Jasper and Alice had finalised their plans to sell the house a few streets over. They'd bought it four years ago, intending to renovate and sell on for profit; it had sat empty ever since, but they'd decided it was about time they focused on their new venture and powered through now that the economy was beginning to recover.

Peter was happier than Bella ever remembered him. He and Charlie had their ever-expanding business, and Peter finally had his three girls all together again. She knew he was sad at the thought of the twins heading off to university, but it would be tempered by having Rosalie and Emmett nearby still.

Archie and his boys were doing amazingly well. Bella stifled a smirk and chose to ignore Bodhi wiping his juice-smeared face with the back of his sleeve as she thought of her brother's face when she caught him being sappy on the phone to his new girlfriend. Nobody had met her just yet because Archie was keeping this relationship close to his chest, but Bella could tell he was smitten. It was only a matter of time before he introduced his boys to her and her two children, and the rest of the family would follow in due course. Truthfully, Bella was just overjoyed to see him happy again; to see that wide grin back on his face instead of the lonely sadness clouding his dark eyes.

Charlie…Charlie was a nightmare. Thinking about his incredibly extravagant gift of a two-week stint to _Disneyworld_ later in the year made Bella want to throttle and kiss him in equal measure. It was far too much, but she understood his need to do it and wouldn't begrudge him it.

However, she _would_ talk Edward into giving him some money towards it, at the very least.

 _Edward._

Bella's eyes swivelled to her right, where Edward sat. He'd been a bit quiet for the past hour or so since all the presents had been unwrapped and the paper had been tossed out, but he had a smile on his face and his arm resting along the back of her chair, his fingertips drawing little patterns up and down her side.

He was amazing. Everything she could ever have dreamed of as a friend, a partner, and a father for her babies. She was filled with love as she sighed and leaned into him.

"I love you," she whispered, shivering at the intense look he shot her when he turned to gaze down at her and cup her face.

" _Ti amo, mi amore_."

Bella smiled, stretching up to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

"Ca-can we pull cwrackers, n-n-now?"

"Sure, handsome," Rosalie laughed, managing to let Bodhi win when he held out a cracker for her to pull.

The rest of the table followed suit. Cheers were alternated with groans, laughter mingling with the excited yapping of the puppies following the muted bangs of the crackers. Sammy hadn't heard them, obviously, but he'd seen his sister getting worked up and didn't want to be left out of the action.

Esme slid away from the table to soothe the puppies, settling them back in their shared basket nearby with a pair of pigs' ears.

Bella smiled as Edward reached for the cracker on her plate and held it out to her. His expression was far too serious for such a light-hearted moment.

"Are you scared you'll lose?" she teased, getting a firm grip on her end of the sparkly blue cracker. She had the only one that wasn't either silver or green, this year's colour theme.

Edward frowned slightly, sucking in a deep breath. "A little."

Bella got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. She held on tight and tugged hard when Edward murmured, "Here goes nothing."

For the shortest moment, Bella couldn't understand why everyone seemed so shocked that she'd won when she ended up holding the largest section of the cracker.

Then she realized it wasn't her winning that made them gasp at all.

It was the prize that bounced out of the cracker and landed square in front of her on the table.

Bella could see the white box, but she couldn't comprehend its significance at first.

Not until Edward slowly plucked it from the table, slid from his chair, and dropped to one knee beside her.

"Bella, _mi amore_ , I've been planning what I'd say right now for weeks, but now that we're here I don't want to say any of it."

"Edward…" Bella squeaked. "What...what are you doing?"

There were titters from across the table. _Emmett_.

"Little sweet, _tesoro_ , come here please."

Marley and Bodhi scampered out of their seats, sliding under the table to join their daddy. They were both wearing wide, toothy grins, their eyes sparkling.

"I've already asked these guys, and they're in agreement. We should be a real family, right guys?"

Marley and Bodhi nodded emphatically, putting a small but nervous smile on Edward's face.

Bella wiped her clammy palms on her jeans and sucked in a shaky breath. Her heart felt like it was going to burst clean out of her chest, it was beating that fast. Her eyes widened and stung from the impending threat of tears as she watched him carefully open the velvet box to reveal the contents.

There were gasps all-around.

"Ooh, Daddy! That's so pretty!" Marley sighed lovingly, craning her head to see it better.

Edward chuckle was tremulous. " _Grazie_ , little sweet."

It really was pretty. It had a thin, rose gold band with a large, sparkling stone in the centre. Little, clear stones – Bella was trying not to think of any of them as diamonds because of the price tag attached to such a purchase – fanned out around the centre stone, lending the ring a sunflower-like appearance. Bella couldn't drag her eyes away from the beautiful piece of art long enough to check if Edward was serious and this was actually happening. He was on bended knee in front of their entire family, a ring in his hand and intent in his voice as he cleared his throat.

"Isabella Scarlett Swan, you're my best friend, the love of my life, and the reason for my existence. You've given me more than I could ever have hoped to have. You've brought light and laughter and love to my life, as well as our two, beautiful, crazy children—"

"A-and Sammy and F-Faith, D-Daddy!" Bodhi interjected.

Bella forced her gaze up to Edward's face as he chuckled and leaned in to Eskimo their son. "That's right, _tesoro_. And Sammy and Faith, of course."

He turned back to Bella, his jade eyes soft and hopeful. "Bella, _mi amore_ , I love you more than life itself. You're everything I want, and I can't picture a single day of my life without you in it."

Collectively, everyone seemed to hold their breath as Edward looked down for a moment before returning his gaze to Bella.

"Will you do me the enormous honour of marrying me, Bella?"

He hadn't finished speaking when the, "Yes, yes, of course, yes!" flew from her lips and she launched herself at his chest, almost knocking him clean over. Marley and Bodhi cheered with delight and danced around as everyone leaped from their chairs to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Edward scooped Bella into his arms to swing her in circles before they got too close, his grin exultant and the beauty of his happy eyes unparalleled.

"Yes?" he whispered.

Bella dashed tears from her cheeks and giggled, cupping his face. " _Yes_ , silly man. Of course, I will!"

As their family gathered around them, Edward took the ring from its box and gently slid it into place on Bella's left hand, grinning with a relieved sigh as it rested at the base of her finger.

It was a perfect fit.

 **~ oOo ~**

Edward and Bella didn't get a lot of alone time for the rest of the evening, but eventually, they snuck out into the garden under the guise of getting Sammy and Faith to do their before-bed wees.

The music playing in the living room was just about audible in the garden with the kitchen window ajar, so Edward folded Bella into his arms and swung her in loose, slow circles around the patio.

" _I've waited a hundred years. But I'd wait a million more, for you."_

Edward crooned the lyrics to the song currently playing into Bella's ear, his hot breath tickling her. It was freezing outside, so they were bundled up in coats, hats, and scarves to stave off the cold, but both of them cursed the layers between them as they huddled as close together as possible.

" _Nothing prepared me for, what the privilege of being yours would do. If I had only felt the warmth within your touch. If I had only seen how you smile when you blush. Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough."_

" _Well I would have known what I was living for. What I've been living for.  
Your love is my turning page. Only the sweetest words remain."_

Bella sighed, resting her cheek against his chest. It was cold, but this moment was perfect. Bella's eyes were once again drawn to the sparkling new ring on her finger. It really was utterly beautiful.

And likely far more expensive than she could imagine; Bella was trying not to think about the price tag.

Edward's kisses along her hairline between words sure helped distract her.

" _Every kiss is a cursive line. Every touch is a redefining phrase.  
I surrender who I've been for who you are."_

As they swayed together in the moonlight, Bella couldn't help but try to picture what their life together would look like from now on. They'd discussed moving out and planned to broach the subject with Charlie in the new year. The thought of moving into their own home, newly engaged and ready to take that next big leap together, filled Bella with nervous but excited anticipation. She'd wondered if she was strong enough to handle it, but with Edward at her side, she felt stronger than ever.

" _Nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart. It I had only felt how it feels to be yours,  
I would have known what I've been living for. What I've been living for."_

All at once, she felt as though she was just _ready_.

Ready to move on from the past and welcome the future; to run head-first into her new life as mother to Marley and Bodhi and future wife to Edward. Her past defined her outlook on the future in a way, but she didn't want to let it lead her decisions. That part of her life, that part of her story, was over now. One day, she would have to share it with Marley and Bodhi, but not yet. For now, it was time to live this wonderful new life they'd been given.

It was time to turn a new page and pen the next part of their story.

" _We're tethered to the story we must tell. When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well.  
with the whisper, we will tame the vicious scenes. Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees."_

"I love you," Bella said quietly, suddenly just, _needing_ to say it.

Edward sighed, squeezing her tight. "I love you, too. More than the sun and the moon and all of the stars."

"I'm so glad you got your twenty seconds of courage."

Edward released a bark of laughter and pulled back to smile down at her. His face was shadowed but glowed in the dim moonlight, his eyes startlingly beautiful so close to her own. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Bella smiled. "I'm glad Marley talked us into watching _We Bought A Zoo_. You might not have gotten the idea then, and I might never have realized."

With a sigh and a quick spin of Bella under his arm, Edward shook his head. "One way or another, you'd have realized. You're more clever than you think and I was rubbish at hiding how I felt, even back then."

"Marley helped. She was a big push in the right direction."

Bella and Edward both let their minds run back to Rosalie and Emmett's wedding. Hearing Marley call him 'Daddy' for the first time had been a magical experience for them both.

"Shall we go in?"

"One more dance," Edward said, tugging her back against his body as a new song begun. Bella didn't recognize it, but he obviously did as he began singing the words in time.

Bella snuggled into him, allowing his soft but somehow, still slightly rough voice to caress her.

" _I know I have my moments, and at times I'm hard to be around.  
I get impatient when you're getting dressed.  
It's just, I thought the first one looked the best._

 _You're beautiful, more than I deserve. So listen close, to these  
one, two, three, four words. So please keep, loving me. Because our hearts speak fluently._

 _Wherever I go, whatever I do, the map on my heart leads to you, so baby,  
please keep loving me, loving me, loving me."_

Bella's lips curled up. "You like this song. You requested it at Rose and Em's wedding, didn't you?"

Edward nodded against the crown of her head, continuing to sing.

" _Your lips on my smile, are like bees round a honeycomb.  
You see through my heart's misty window  
and out of all the fingerprints only yours will show."_

A quiet tapping on the French doors caught their attention. Sammy was tapping on the glass with his paw, Faith at his side whining insistently.

"Oops. Looks like the spots are cold," Edward mumbled. He peered down at Bella. "You ready to go in, too? Your cheeks are all pink."

Bella grinned and nodded. "Yeah, let's go in. We'd better try to wind the kids down, anyway. They've had far too much sugar, and they'll be hell to get to bed with Carl-Roman and Chase here, too."

"You're probably right," Edward agreed. He stared down into Bella's eyes for a moment, sighing heavily. It was a relieved, content sound and filled Bella with a sense of rightness and belonging. She was content, too. And overwhelmingly happy. "I can't wait to make you my wife and be a real family with little sweet and _tesoro_."

Bella's heart pounded. "I can't wait, either."

He leaned down, pulling the breath from her body with a bone-melting kiss before abruptly stepping back with a grin. "If I don't stop now, I won't stop, and we've got company."

Bella turned toward his pointed glance; Marley, Carl-Roman, Chase, and Bodhi were pressing their faces to the doors and covering the glass in sticky fingerprints and lip marks. As they laughed and made their way in to rejoin the craziness of their family, the puppies more than happy to be back in the warm with their little humans, Bella and Edward shared a glance.

It was happiness, relief, and 'I love you's' all rolled into one look as they took a seat together in the bay window and settled in to watch Charlie and Peter learn the Macarena, as taught by Carl-Roman and Marley.

Bella gazed around at her loved ones, her heart fuller than it ever had been before, her left hand significantly heavier than it had been before Edward's surprise proposal.

One thought ran on a continuous loop through her head as she leaned back into Edward and kissed his five 'o clock-shadowed jaw.

 _Life just can't get any better than this._

* * *

 **I don't know what to say, except…**

 **Thank you and I love you all.**

 **Your support, your endless faith in me to deliver the promised Happily Ever After, and your willingness to share your thoughts with me time and time again have made this entire experience of posting my first ever fic so incredibly precious. I'll never forget the way you all made me feel with your kindness and generosity.**

 **I'll always remember getting those notification that Pinky Promises had been recc'd in pages like** SunflowerFran **'s** _Pay It Forward_ **,** _The No Rules Twilight Fan Fics Rec Club_ **, and** _The Lemonade Stand_ _ **(which I've followed religiously**_ **FOREVER** _ **; I am not ashamed to admit they elicited a happy dance from me when they shared PP over there.)**_

 **This has been the most amazingly wonderful experience for me. I wrote the core outline of this back in 2011 and it's moved around on the various computers I've owned since then, but I never really did anything with it. February this year, I decided enough was enough and I'd post it here. In that time it has evolved to waaaay beyond where I ever expected it to go. It's well over 200k words and it's been a labor of love I'll cherish forever.**

 **As you all know by now, the sequel will be posting in a week or two, so keep your eyes open and be sure to add me to your author alerts if you want to catch it right away. The exclusive cover reveal will be on my _Facebook_ author page - 'Ciara Shayee - Author', although I'll most likely also be posting it in ** SunflowerFran **'s _Pay It Forward_ a day or two before the first chapter goes up.**

 **xoxo**

Songs:

 **Turning Page** – Sleeping At Last

 **Please Keep Loving Me** – James TW


	43. Promises Are The Sweetest Lies

**** WARNING** If you haven't read the sequel to this, Promises To Keep,  
some of this may not make sense. Just a heads up for you****

 **Okay gang** — **we're back with the Promises gang after I specifically  
said I was going to leave them alone for a bit *facepalm*  
I officially have no self control. Anyways...  
This is for an awesome cause, one I'm super excited to be a part of.**

 **The Babies At The Border charity compilation is raising money to  
help the children and their families affected by the tragedy at the border in the US.  
I'm honoured to be one of over a hundred authors submitting pieces to this  
compilation. For just a ten dollar donation to one of the chosen charities, you  
can receive the entire compilation! To find us, search 'Babies At The Border Charity  
Compilation' on Facebook or 'BatB_2018' on Twitter. Also, you can find all the  
information for donating and the compilation at  
babies at the border (one word) dot blogspot dot com.**

 **Anyway...enough of my rambling! This is part of chapter one of between ten and twenty,  
just to whet your appetites. I'll post a couple of teasers on my Facebook page,  
CiaraShayee, as well as pic teasers. ****The rest will be exclusive to the compilation  
until December, when I'll post the rest right ****here.**

 **Huge thanks to my beta,** annharding **, for being amazing and dropping  
everything to work on this for me.**

 **All the familiar characters, of course, belong to  
Stephenie Meyer. The originals are all mine.**

 **~ oOo ~**

 **Summary:** _At ten, she idolised him. At thirteen, she crushed on him. At sixteen, she fell in love with him. And at eighteen, his perfect image was shattered. Marley knows it's pointless loving Baden Kane, but first loves are hard to shake—especially when they're a famous singer who also happens to be a family friend. His promises are the sweetest lies, but her sweet tooth is rooted deep._

 **Promises are the Sweetest Lies**

"Now, are you _sure_ you don't want to come with us? Nobody will mind if you do."

Marley shook her head with a small smile, stroking the chubby cheeks of the baby in her lap. "No, thank you, Ma."

The little boy stirred awake as she brushed a lock of dark hair away from his forehead, flashing an enormous pair of dark chocolate eyes.

"Hey, baby boy," she cooed, bending to kiss his button nose. "Are you awake now, little bear?"

As she fussed over her little brother, Marley could feel her mother's gaze on her—could feel her contentment at having her home, _finally_. The flash of Bella's phone camera preceded a squeal from the baby and a yell from the top of the stairs.

Volume control—something severely lacking in the Cullen household.

" _Mamma, have you seen my black trainers?"_

Bella shook her head and stowed her phone, patting Marley's shoulder before heading upstairs to help her son find his shoes.

Meanwhile, Marley soaked up her brother's smiles and giggles. She'd only been back for a visit a few weeks ago, but the sweet six-month-old seemed to have changed so much even in just that short space of time.

"Oh, Teddy," Marley sighed, sitting him up on her knees and bouncing him lightly. "Why do you have to grow so fast, huh?"

He offered her a gummy grin and a spit bubble in reply.

The oldest and youngest of Edward and Bella's children, Marley and baby Eddison—or Teddy, as he was more often known—had a strong bond. Eddison lit up whenever his big sister was around; in turn, Marley doted upon him as much as possible. She couldn't wait to dress him in the little outfits she'd found in the costume store just off campus. He'd make the cutest cowboy, that was for sure.

"Little Sweet…"

No matter how strong her bond with Eddison grew, nobody compared to the man standing in the doorway with tear-filled eyes and a brilliant, double-dimpled grin. He'd been away in London at some super important meeting when she arrived late last night, so this was the first time she'd seen him in almost a month.

"Daddy!" Marley carefully set Eddison on his playmat before throwing herself into her dad's outstretched arms, the familiar scent of his aftershave coupled with the scratchiness of his beard against her temple bringing nostalgic tears to her eyes. "I've missed you."

Sighing, Edward squeezed her. "I've missed you, too, Little Sweet. It's been too long—you're too far away."

"Daddy…" Her tone brooked a warning that made Edward chuckle as he pulled back, cupping her cheeks and brushing a few stray tears from her face.

"I know, I know. You're twenty years old, all grown up, and I promised I wouldn't nag, so I won't." His emerald eyes glinted with happiness. "It's just great to have you home, even if only for a flying visit."

It was Marley's turn to wear a gleeful grin as she contemplated ruining the surprise she had planned. It would mean her father's smile wouldn't be slipping anytime soon, but...no. She had a plan. Whenever she chose to tell him, he would be ecstatic to learn her visit wasn't as 'flying' as he thought, but Marley had already decided to wait until she was due to depart to tell her parents and siblings about her gap year. They expected her to leave next Friday, thinking she'd be heading back to university to return to her barista job, when she was, in fact, not going anywhere. Her friends had already helped her pack up most of her room—all her things were being shipped down from Leicester the following weekend, when Maggie's uncle drove her and her things back to Eastbourne. They'd opted to share his van rather than both fork out for individual shipping. It complimented Marley's scheme to keep her family in the dark, too.

"Mamma says you're not coming out with us today. You're welcome to, you know?"

"I know, Daddy, but I'm still knackered after the long drive yesterday, and I've got a few things to unpack…" she trailed off with a small, amused smile when he mumbled about how she may as well not bother, seeing as she was disappearing so soon.

Eddison let out a loud squeal, clearly not happy at being ignored, so Edward released Marley to scoop his son into his arms, peppering the boy's face with kisses as he squirmed and giggled. Marley watched with warmth spreading through her veins and a wide grin on her face; she missed this. Heading to Leicester for university hadn't been easy, not even a little bit, but it was seeing her dad and brother that made her the most homesick.

 _Well, both her parents and all her siblings, actually._

Bella re-joined them with the rest of the Cullen brood trailing after her, each of them dressed for the birthday party they were attending after their dentist appointments this morning.

Bodhi was the first to throw his arms around her, and Marley couldn't deny the sting of guilt when she realised it had been almost two months since she'd seen him—he was at a football tournament when she last visited. Now just a month shy of fifteen and easily as tall as her at five-seven, he was looking more like a man than a boy with every passing day. His once sweet, soft voice was deepening with every conversation, his now-angular face almost identical to their Pawpaw Charlie's.

"Hey, sis," he sighed, his long arms easily encasing her as she held him by his mop of blond curls and his back, cradling him just as she had when he was a baby.

"Hey, little Beesy." Just as strong as her bonds with Eddison and Edward, but in a different way, her bond with Bodhi was something nobody else could, or would, ever understand. They'd been through so much together; _seen_ so much. Nobody would ever replace Beesy in her heart.

"You just had to show up in the middle of the night, huh? Dramatic, much?"

Ruffling Bodhi's curls, Marley smirked and gave him a playful shove away from her. "Whatever, Bees. You're just jealous that the favourite child is home."

Scoffing, Bodhi slumped onto the sofa and shook his head as Marley pulled their younger brother into her arms. Like Bodhi, Enrico was tall—even at eleven, he wasn't far off Marley's height. Cheeky and every bit his father's son, he wasted no time with pleasantries, wrapping his arms around Marley to give her a hard squeeze. "You're home in time for the finals of my football tournament!"

Marley beamed, kissing his freckled cheeks and brushing his mop of dark hair away from his face. He really was Edward made over, from his copper toned mane to his mint green eyes. "I can't wait to watch you, Rico. I brought my pompoms and everything. Will you score a goal for me?"

Puffing up, Enrico nodded and flashed her their daddy's crooked grin. "Sure! I'm the top goal scorer for our whole league...right, Dad?"

Proud as punch, Edward rocked baby Eddison in one arm and looped his other around Bella's waist. "You sure are, son."

Last, but certainly not least, to enter the room and squeal their way into Marley's arms, were her adoring sisters. Maisie and Bailyn shrieked loud enough to startle Eddison as the sisters giggled and embraced in a three-way hug. Nobody had been more excited than Marley to find out that she was getting not just one, but _two_ sisters just a year and a half after Enrico was born. Maisie and Bailyn were a gift no-one had expected, especially not so soon after Enrico's arrival, but the now-nine-year-old identical twins were a delight.

With their long blonde hair and blue-green eyes, they were almost carbon copies of their mother at this age. The only thing that set them apart was the dimple that appeared to the left of their smiles whenever they were happy—they got that from their daddy.

"You're home!" they cheered, peppering her with question after question about university, her friends, had she seen the video of their recent ballet performance and weren't they great?

Now reunited with all of her five siblings, Marley sat back on her bended knees and soaked it all in. It was loud, chaotic, and a complete culture shock after so many weeks away from her busy family, but it was perfect.

 **~ oOo ~**

Like with any large family, getting the Cullen gang out of the house proved...challenging.

With Marley home to help, it was a little easier—but not a lot. By the time Bella and Edward had corralled their youngest five children into the minivan, Marley was exhausted and more than ready to put her feet up on the sofa and enjoy a bowl of cereal in front of the TV with more than just the basic channels shown in the dorms. Sammy the dalmatian—now twelve and a lot slower than he used to be—followed her with a wagging tail and a happy, doggy grin, content to have his ears scratched each time she passed him.

She remained in her shorts and t-shirt pyjamas, sliding her feet into her worn-soft slippers before pouring cereal into a pasta bowl, filling it with milk, and heading back into the living room. Sammy climbed onto the sofa to sit with Marley, his hip popping as he sat with a long huff.

Foregoing her cereal for a moment, Marley gave his soft head a kiss, cradling his muzzle as he gazed at her with slightly cloudy, mis-matched eyes. The spots on his face were now a faded grey rather than the black they'd been as a puppy, his once-sharp gaze made foggy by age and sad from the loss of his sister. They'd lost Faith to a cancerous tumour a year ago. She was much-missed, her absence still glaringly obvious twelve months on.

"You're a good boy," Marley told him with a thumbs up. Regardless of his deafness, she'd always found herself talking to him. His tail gave another thump against the cushions as he rested his head on her knee.

Only halfway into the first episode of Friends, the doorbell rang. With a grin, she bounced up with Sammy trundling along behind her, assuming it was her Aunt Rose or Uncle Emmett. Bella had warned her to expect them now they knew she was home. Marley had missed them all—silly Uncle Emmett, sweet Aunt Rosalie, and their three crazy littles, Xavier, Ella, and Dennis.

But it wasn't any of them.

"Lia?"

As soon as Marley opened the door, her best friend threw her arms around her with a squeal. "You made it, _finally!_ It's been so _boring_ without you, Marshmallow. I tell you, bunning off the last week of lectures and coming home early would have been a hell of a lot more interesting if you'd kicked off your goodie two shoes and come with me."

Lia didn't waste any time waiting to be invited in—she toed off her shoes, gave Sammy an ear scratch and a kiss on his nose, and headed straight for the kitchen, leaving Marley smiling and shaking her head in her wake as she closed the door and followed her through the hall. She leaned against the end of the counter as Lia rummaged through the breadbin, her pierced lips curling up when she found what she was looking for.

"I've fucking missed these," Lia declared, holding up the tupperware box of homemade oatmeal cookies.

"Ma sent some a few weeks ago," Marley pointed out, snatching the cookie Lia tossed her out of the air. "You can pour us some milk, too."

"Got it, got it."

Marley flopped back on the sofa in the living room and paused her show, sighing as she relaxed back into the cushions and listened to Lia cheer the chocolate milk in the fridge.

 _Now it feels like home._

Ever since they were small children, Lia and Marley had been the best of friends. They'd bonded over a shared love of Bella's homemade oatmeal cookies and Lia's mum's homemade lemonade. They began taking turns having sleepovers at each other's houses, both more than comfortable letting themselves in and making themselves at home after over a decade of friendship. Lia's parents, Greg and Aly, were kind and welcoming, always treating Marley the same as their own three children—Lia, the eldest, followed by Louise and Logan.

"So, Mars…" Lia handed over another oatmeal cookie and a glass of cold chocolate milk, then dumped herself on the sofa beside Marley. Sammy sprawled himself out on the rug, his eyes on the girls and their snacks just in case they dropped any crumbs. "What're your plans for the day?"

Marley twisted her lips and nodded pointedly at Lia's outfit. They were wearing matching pyjamas, both in shorts and tank tops. The fact that Lia had driven over in pyjamas came as no surprise to Marley. "About the same as yours, I imagine. Lounging, _Friends_ , and binge-eating Ma's homemade _everything_."

Lia's blue eyes sparkled with glee. "Perfect. Now...is Papa Cullen around? 'Cause I've missed him almost as much as I've missed Mamma Bella's cookies."

With a roll of her eyes, Marley kicked Lia's foot and unpaused the TV. "No, he's out with Ma and the littles. You'll have to get your fix later, if you're sticking around."

Lia simply shrugged and got comfortable. "Eh, I'll hang with you. I've got nothin' better to do. And it's been way too long since I've had me some Daddy C."

"You're incorrigible, you know that? You realise this is my dad you're drooling over?"

Unrepentant, Lia chomped another bite of her snack before following it up with a chug of milk. "It's not my fault your Ma is married to a serious DILF, Mars."

"Oh, _gross._ "

Lia made no secret of the fact that she liked to fawn over Edward whenever he was around. She went from pierced, tattooed, biker chick to demure goodie two shoes the second he appeared—well, when he was listening, anyway. When he was out of earshot but still within ogling range, all bets were off. It both amused and disgusted Marley.

"If you can quit being a slut over my _Dad_ for five minutes…" Marley giggled as Lia gently shoved her. "I've got some face masks that need using up."

"Sounds good to me. I need to look tip top for DILFward."

Marley face-palmed.

 **~ oOo ~**

An hour later, Marley and Lia had slathered their faces in cream promising forever youthful skin and the elimination of blackheads, painted their fingernails—pale blue for Marley, alternating black and yellow for Lia—and were just starting on their toenails.

"Same colours?" Marley asked, sliding a foam toe separator between Lia's toes.

"Hmm...oh, go on then. I suppose they'd better match. How about some music first though?"

With a shrug, Marley unfolded herself from the sofa and crossed the room to the sound system on the the wall.

"Oh, Marshmallow—put that album on that I like! You know, the one by that guy…the one who's friends with Hot Papa?"

Marley's heart fell into her stomach. "Ralph Kane?"

"That's the one!" Lia snapped her fingers. " _Maaan_ is he one fine specimen. Any chance he'll be making a pitstop in little ole Eastbourne this summer? It's been…what? Two years since he's been back? Surely he's due a visit and I'm due some ogling time."

Thankful she was facing away from her friend, Marley scowled as she flipped through the CD cases on the rack and huffed. "Doubtful."

"I read that he's in Vegas splashing the cash at some big poker tournament. Gee, what I wouldn't give to get on top of that fine beast. Did you know, he…"

When Lia went off on a tangent, she didn't need any kind of audience participation, so Marley let her mind wander as she searched for Ralph Kane's debut album. He'd released lots more since the original set of ten songs, but this was the one Lia always requested.

The idea of him 'making a pitstop' was ludicrous. He hadn't made any effort to drag himself away from his harem of women or flashy penthouse in New York for over two years.

 _Not since the accident…_

"C'mon, Marshmallow. Oh, here we go! Right in front of you, you silly twit." Lia bumped Marley's hip with her own, grinning wolfishly as she slipped _Dark Days_ from the rack and waved it in front of Marley's face.

"Oops. Give it here, then. And stop pulling funny faces—you'll crack your mask."

The idea of spending the afternoon listening to Ralph's album put a frown on Marley's face, but she managed to school her expression by the time she hit 'play' and shoved the remote in her pocket so she wouldn't have to get back up. As the first, heavy chords of _Dawn_ began, she slumped on the sofa and tried to focus on painting Lia's nails instead of the entrancing lyrics and the deep timbre caressing the words.

It was impossible. His voice drew her in—it always had.

Marley remembered when Ralph wrote this song. She was there when he named it. He couldn't decide what the title should be, so he and Marley had made a chart containing all the keywords from the song before tacking it on the fence, closing their eyes, and blindly throwing darts at it. The first word to be hit three times would be the title—so, the song became _Dawn_ when Marley's dart joined Ralph's two.

After that, their unorthodox method was called upon several times. _Woods_ , _Orion_ ,and _River_ all got their names from scraps of paper pinned to a holey dartboard in the Cullens' back yard. Marley couldn't help but wonder if the dartboard was still out in the shed. It had been upgraded years ago, but she remembered seeing it over Christmas break when she and Bodhi went digging for Christmas decorations. Despite her irritation whenever she thought of Ralph, Marley found herself inexplicably stuck in memories of his grin as she declared the new names of his previously unnameable songs.

Falsely comforting nostalgia was a bitch when the past didn't match up to the present.

 **~ oOo ~**

"Hells bells, Mars—I could eat a scabby donkey! Do you reckon your 'rents would mind us raiding the cupboards?"

Marley snorted and shook her head as she uncurled her legs and made to get up. "I doubt it. You know Ma loves to feed people. I bet she stocked up the freezer ready for your inevitable invasion, too."

Lia was positively gleeful at the notion. She rubbed her hands together and promised to join Marley on the hunt for lunch fixings just as soon as she'd been to the bathroom to wash off her face mask; Marley had gotten rid of hers a short while ago.

However, Lia didn't make it to the bathroom. As she crossed the hallway, a sharp, triple _rat-a-tat_ at the door stopped her in her tracks. She took one look at the dark head of hair through the translucent glass pane in the center of the door and grinned slyly.

"Well, well. Jakey Snakey…that didn't take you long, did it, now?"

Marley's on-off relationship with Jacob Black, their childhood friend, had always puzzled Lia. She'd watched them slip into an easy relationship which had survived the turmoil and separation of attending different universities—Jacob had opted for Chichester in the south while Marley headed north to Leicester. Well, it had withstood the distance for a bit, anyway.

For the first six months or so, they'd stayed in regular contact and visited each other often. More than once, Lia had made herself scarce so they could make good use of their shared dorm room. Although, to the best of Lia's knowledge, Marley had never given Jacob anything other than heated kisses and a grope here and there.

Then, out of the blue around eight months into their first year at university, Jacob broke up with Marley. No warning, no hint of anything awry—just a text message to end their relationship. Just like that. Marley was devastated and Lia, homicidal. She hopped on the first train to Chichester and returned to Leicester the following day with a smirk on her face and the promise that Jacob was suffering for his sins.

Much to her dismay, only a few weeks later, he was back in both Marley's good graces and her heart. Since then, they'd had an on-off sort of deal, never getting too serious but never cutting the cord tying them together. To be honest, it drove Lia a bit mad, but she was pleased he'd shown up so soon after Marley's arrival back in town—she loved to hate and harass him. Plus, as much of an asshat as she thought he was, Marley liked having him around and Lia liked seeing her happy, so...she could deal.

Yanking open the door, Lia had several sarcastic lines queued up for Jacob. They all died in her throat as she sucked in, and choked on, a deep breath.

 _That's definitely not Jake the Snake._

A million thoughts raced through her head as she took in a disheveled mane of chestnut locks, her eyes travelling down over a broad set of shoulders which tapered down into a fitted t-shirt, worn cargo shorts, and a pair of what seemed to be brand new Converse—the white material gleamed in the sunshine. Lia swallowed hard, spotting the guitar case at his feet and the cigarette dangling from the long fingers of his right hand.

"Uh, are you okay?"

 _Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…the walking piece of man candy talks._

She'd seen him before, of course; up until a few days ago, her dorm room walls were covered with posters of that face. That body. Admittedly, in most of them he was wearing less clothes, but Lia had a vivid imagination.

She met the visitor's gaze for a split second, her wide eyes barely registering the confused knot of his brows or the stubble framing his jaw before she screamed—loudly—and slammed the door in his stunned face.

* * *

 **So...thoughts?**

 **The rest of this will be part of the compilation, which require a donation of ten dollars to one of the chosen charities, and you'll be blessed to receive a massive amount of stories from some of the most amazing authors, including some who've been 'retired' for a while!**

 **In other news...this not-so-little tale of mine will be coming to Amazon and Kindle over the next month or two, so if that's something you'll be interested in, come find me on Facebook at CiaraShayee so you can see my upcoming cover reveal and keep yourself posted on release dates and such :)**

 **xo**


	44. Exciting Announcement

**Hey there, everyone!**

This isn't a chapter, I'm afraid, but it IS an exciting announcement that's been in the works for a while now.

As of the 16th of December, _Pinky Promises_ will be available in the Kindle store with the paperback version following soon after! I have no plans at this time to remove it from FF so please dont panic or worry about it disappearing. This is where it started, and this is where it will stay.

To you, the loyal readers, reviewers, and fic-pimps...I say the biggest, most heartfelt thanks, because without you all, I would never have had the confidence to go ahead and publish. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

 _Pinky Promises_ will hopefully be available for pre-order by the end of the week, but if not you'll be able to snap it up on Kindle on Sunday.

For more information and for visual teasers in the lead-up to the release, please join me on Facebook under the same name—Ciara Shayee.

Again, many, _many_ thank yous to every one of you for championing this story, the characters, and me.

Wishing you all the most wonderful of holiday seasons, whatever you may celebrate, CiaraShayee xo


End file.
